Dance
by FallenStar2
Summary: After graduating from high school, Willow moves to London and attends a university specializing in magic. There she meets the famous Harry Potter and his group of friends, and her life may never be the same.
1. The Far Side of the Ocean

**Dance**

**Title**: Dance

**Rating**: Between PG and R or higher... haven't decided yet. Anything higher than R will be posted elsewhere.

**Genre**: Crossover, from Willow's POV. Otherwise... Angst and Romance are a good bet. Add a bit of Action/Adventure and you have a Willow fic. Not to mention  it's magically delicious.

**Summary**: After graduating from high school, Willow moves to London and attends a university specializing in magic. There she meets the famous Harry Potter  and his group of friends, and her life may never be the same. AU/WIP. Critique and Review!

**Grand Summary**: After graduating from high school, Willow decides to move to London to cope with her newfound witch powers. She attends a Wizarding university  recommended to her by Giles. Once there, she meets Harry Potter, who's two best friends are by his side and make living away from home a little easier. On  her journey to self-discovery, Willow is introduced to a brand new world where magic exists naturally and discovers that she truly does like her own men a  little dark. Completely AU.

**Disclaimer**: J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter fandom, Joss Whedon owns BtVS. I don't own any of it and I intend no harm to the characters, the fandom or the  fans. No copyright infringements are intended. If you think I did something bad, feel free to email me.

**Author's Note**: This is my SECOND Willow-centric fic dealing with a crossover in London town. This one is more... fun. I fully intend for it to be a gift for  someone, which is why I'm asking (and dying) for reviews. A good critique never hurts anyone. I grant cameos to those that inspire inspiration. As for the  fic... Harry, Hermione, Ron and a few other Hogwarts others have graduated and have gone onto the Wizarding form of university. On a personal note, I have  always wondered what that would be like. So I created this university and I think it'll be a fun place for Willow to discover herself. And we'll look for a  few cameos from the Buffyverse people.

**Background Info**: Willow never registered at UC-Sunnydale. In fact, right before she went to register, a letter arrived from England, asking her to become a  student at a new university built in the honor of the fall of the Dark Lord. She decided to go there instead. Harry has been casually dating the past few  years, but his eye is currently on his best friend Hermione's new roommate... and the story will go on from there.

This first chapter is PG-rated. It'll probably go up as the chapters go on. I'll warn of any higher rated chapters I've moved elsewhere.

Yet another note... this fic is intended to be a gift for someone. If that someone happens to read it, they will probably not know it's for them. Therefore I  have contracted a private beta for this story. I do promise a good deal of romance in this story since most of mine sadly lack in it. I promise good cameos  for people that want them. If you want to see a character, I'll figure out a way to move them into this story. Your reviews are like an elixir that's so  toxic and delicious... I really live on them. They make my writing better. So if you have something to say, please leave your review. You will be loved and  even remembered through many chapters.

I think that's all I have to say... so onto the first chapter! And what do you know... it's a long goodbye.

- - - - -

**Chapter 1**

**The Far Side of the Ocean**

- - - - -

_Flight 877 departing from __Los Angeles__ to __New York__, now boarding.___

Willow Rosenberg hitched up her backpack over her shoulder and turned to her best friend, Buffy Summers. The two were waiting outside the security gate  amongst the long lines of people waiting to get through. Her other best friend, Xander Harris, stood with Buffy's former Watcher Rupert Giles along the wall,  both of them looking deep in thought. Xander, especially, wore a deep expression of sadness.

"I can't believe you're going to do this," Buffy said softly as she handed Willow a small bag and her ticket. "Do you have any idea how much you'll be missed  around here?"

"I'll be back, you know," Willow replied earnestly, her eyes filling with tears, "around Christmas and for Easter..."

Buffy's eyes were shining and she blinked, looking down. "I love you, Wil... I can't imagine starting at Sunnydale without you."

"I'm only a phone call away," Willow replied, feeling her throat start to constrict. "Please don't make this any harder for me."

"I'm trying," Buffy said, attempting a brave smile. "I just feel for Oz, you know? He had to leave yesterday for a gig. I don't know if he'll be able to make  it back."

Willow cast a lingering look at the lines of people still entering the airport. Bit by bit her heart was starting to ache. She knew she had maybe twenty  minutes before they closed up boarding calls, but leaving without saying goodbye to Oz was like asking her heart to be ripped out. She forced back her tears  and turned her brave face to the Slayer. "See? I can be brave like you."

"God, Wil," Buffy said, a tear trickling down her cheek. "You don't have to be brave. Just write back! Tell them you want no part at this University. Tell  them you'd rather stay in California with your friends."

Willow longed to do exactly what the Slayer described. But it was her lust to learn outside the Hellmouth that kept the temptation from waxing. Her eyes  drifted to the door again, and finally to the line she was still standing in. "I should probably go."

Xander stepped forward and took Willow into his arms. "I love you, you know. Wherever you are, you'll remember that, right?"

Willow nodded, wiping a tear from his face. "I love you too, Xander. Being across an ocean won't change a thing."

"I hope not," he said, squeezing her hand. "But then you'll change."

"Could be for the better," a deep voice said behind them.

"Oz!" Willow cried out, a swelling of relief flooding her body. As she stepped into his arms, she could feel the tears breaking her control. As she cried in  his arms, he kissed her hair, whispering soft words of comfort.

"Wherever you are, I'll be with you," he whispered, stepping back. "I love you Willow. Not even six thousand miles can change that."

Willow attempted a shaky smile. "I wish you could come with me."

"You know I can't," he said, resting his forehead on hers. "But when you come back, I'm going to take care of you. In the forever sense."

His words, which would have sounded magical a few months before, now sounded constrictive and possessive. "I know," she said, stepping away from him. "I want  you to live, too. Don't be all anti-social just because I'm not around. It'll just make me feel worse."

Oz nodded, his eyes shining with emotion that even he couldn't explain. "Be good."

"Always," she said with a tearful smile.

Giles was next. He walked over and hugged her gruffly, telling her in broken British how much he'd miss her. She knew she would miss him, too.

Buffy was standing behind Giles as he, Xander and Oz drifted away. She was visibly crying and Willow could feel her own eyes tearing. "Three years has been  an incredible time, hasn't it?"

"It's been quite a ride," Buffy said, reaching and pulling Willow into a crushing hug. "I'm going to miss you, Wil. First Angel, now you... I feel like I'm  losing my best friend."

"You'll be okay, once you get back on your feet," Willow replied, hastily brushing her tears away.

"What you said to Oz," Buffy said, pulling away, "remember that yourself. You're not going to London to pine for someone you may never see again. You're  going over there to find yourself, Wil. You need to live. You need to get away from darkness and the vampires and the Hellmouth. You'll be much happier  there."

"And you'll be fine, too," Willow replied. "I mean, you have Xander and Giles and Oz. You'll make new friends in college and I'm sure you'll have an amazing  roommate."

"I will," Buffy said, glancing at the shrinking line behind Willow. "You'd better go. I'm sure your flight will leave without you if we keep standing here  preaching."

Willow cast a look down the corridor past the security check. It seemed to extend forever. She turned slowly back to Buffy. "I'll call Giles tonight. You  take care of yourself, Buffy. Watch your back."

Buffy grinned at her and despite the growing feeling of loss inside of her, Willow beamed back.

As Buffy melted back into the crowd, Willow took a deep breath and dropped her luggage onto the conveyor belt. After she'd stepped through Security, she  checked her ticket and began walking.

- - - - -

Across the ocean, it was a much different atmosphere within Diagon Alley. Harry Potter was walking with his two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron  Weasley, through the crowded streets, a large piece of parchment in hand. They were searching through the many stores for items the list required to start  their first of two years at the University. Hermione held her own rather longer list, several large bags already being toted around by Ron.

Harry had been pleasantly surprised when Ron and Hermione started seeing each other the summer before their sixth year. While it started out small and  private, it had expanded into something so much more. She finally stopped walking and pointed at one of the many clothing stores. "We should probably get our  robes from there."

Harry didn't feel like arguing with her. For the past three days, they'd been rooming at The Three Broomsticks. They only had a few precious days of summer  left before starting at the University that autumn.

The school had opened just a term before and was a gift from the Ministry of Magic to the Wizarding World attributing to the defeat of Voldemort. Harry had  been surprised and quite pleased when every single member of his graduating class had accepted the invitation to join the University. To spread the word,  many invitations had been sent out to other Witches and Wizards around the world. From what he had heard, there were several hundred more students attending  from other countries, as far away as the Americas and even a few students Dumbledore had told him were arriving from Tibet.

Hermione disappeared inside the shop, leaving Ron and Harry to take a seat on the bench outside. The sun was warm, but welcome after a week of cool showers.  She returned a few minutes later with another large bag, casting an annoyed look at Harry. "I got you both your robes too," she announced, stalking past  them.

"That's good," Ron said, casting a look at the large amount of supplies he was carrying. "This is the third day we've been here. My feet are going to fall  off unless we rest soon."

"Oh, be quiet," Hermione replied tartly, stopping at the next shop and peering inside. "What else is on your list, Harry?"

"Parchment, quills and a few textbooks that were supposed to be in today," Harry said, ticking off the remainder of his list.

"Ron?" Hermione asked gently.

"Just the books," Ron mumbled. "I'm using parchment and quills and stuff from last year."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a quick look. It was no secret that the Weasley family didn't have a lot of money. However, since the defeat of Voldemort and  the fall from power of the Malfoy family, Arthur Weasley had climbed positions steadily since. Since then, the Weasley family had been given a new world of  wealth and power. Ron himself had been thrilled to have things he'd never seen before. For example, he'd never owned a gold-tipped eagle quill before, and as  he looked at the instrument in Hermione's hands, a look of longing spread across his face. "You know you want it," she teased lightly.

Harry let the two of them quarrel it out as he selected his own purchases. Piling them up on the counter, he paid nine sickles and two galleons for the lot  and quickly left the shop. Hermione and Ron, looking reasonably happier, came out a few minutes later.

"Before we get to Flourish and Blotts, let's have ice cream," Harry said, stopping in front of Fortescue's. "My treat," he added quickly.

After their chocolate sundaes and a quick trip to pick up their remaining books, Ron pointed out that they hadn't been to Fred and George's shop yet. After  dropping off their purchases at the inn, the three made their way across Diagon Alley and approached the shop.

As they entered, a loud explosion sounded in the back. Fred was standing near the counter, a crowd of children before him, all looking on with impressed eyes  as Fred demonstrated an exploding sucking candy. George came from the back, a large box of exploding suckers in his arms, looking relieved to set the heavier  package down. As he glanced up, he spied his younger brother, his girlfriend and Harry in the doorway. "Oy!" he shouted, waving his arm. "Hey, Fred, look!  It's little Ronnie icklkins."

"You two stop, it's embarrassing," Ron said in a dry voice, as he and the others parted their way through the thongs of children all eager to accept an  exploding sucker before reaching the counter. "Another demonstration?"

"We needed a new market to test these on," Fred said, arriving and looking exhausted. "We spent nearly a year on these. We couldn't figure out the correct  ingredients to make the sugar crystals blast just right. Want a sample?"

Despite his reservations about anything Fred and George Weasley could come up with, Harry accepted a sucker and quickly ran his tongue along the sweet bulb.  "It's good," he observed.

"Just give it a few minutes," George said with a wink as Fred returned to his customers. "Actually, I'm glad you lot came. Fred and I have been preparing a  few packages which should arrive at your new rooms within a few days, but I thought you could use some snacks to start with." From underneath the counter, he  pulled out a large, brightly wrapped basket full of candies and sweets.

"Wow," Ron commented, accepted the basket and turning it over in his arms. "It's... huge."

"Exactly what Ronniekins deserves, I'm sure," Fred sniggered. He quickly waved as the rest of the children exited the shop. "Did you tell them about the  other basket?"

"I did," George replied. "We also sent one to Ginny at Hogwarts. A pity she won't get to that University this year."

Hermione shrugged, taking the large basket from Ron. "We just wanted to come and say hello as long as we're in Diagon Alley," she admitted.

"I'm glad you did," Fred said honestly. "We haven't seen you in months."

"Years, even," George replied.

They both broke into laughter.

Hermione, of course, had spent the summer with Ron. Since Fred and George lived at their family's home, they had seen her everyday.

"As long as you two aren't snogging in some poor innocent's doorway, I'm sure you'll be welcome anywhere," Fred replied in a serious voice.

Ron and Hermione exchanged an embarrassed look.

"I think this is where we say goodbye," Harry said quickly, taking the basket from Hermione. "Thank you for the sweets, Fred, George. If we ever need  anything, I think you left enough advertisements in our bags to paper the dormitories."

"That was the idea," George said, sounding delighted. "Take care, you lot. And remember, a little mischief never hurt anyone!"

Once outside the shop, Hermione started breathing again. "That was different."

Ron was gazing at her with newfound respect. "I think you've been living with them too long. You've accepted them as brothers."

Hermione's face tinted pink. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Not one I have," Ron replied, glancing at the basket in Harry's arms. "I'm torn."

"About what?" Harry asked, his voice muffled behind the bright cellophane.

"Whether or not to keep the basket," Ron said, looking almost hesitant to even touch the basket again. "You never know what they put in there."

"Let's keep it," Hermione replied, touching the shiny plastic. "At the very least, it makes a good centerpiece."

At that precise moment, the exploding sucking candy in Harry's mouth shattered and expanded, leaving him with the definite desire to dump the basket in the  nearest trash can.

- - - - -

After twenty one hours, two delays and a missed flight from Iceland, Willow finally stepped out into the airport in London. Glancing around, she took a deep  breath. It looked like any other airport, really. It was large and crowded.

Yet it had a different atmosphere. It had an environment she found almost intoxicating. As she collected her baggage, she found herself full of excitement as  she wheeled her suitcase into line to wait in a long queue for a taxi. Although she was to meet someone to take her to the Ministry of Magic, she waited  patiently to get transportation.

"Miss Rosenberg?"

Willow nearly jumped as she turned. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wesley?" she gasped.

He grinned at her, looking like he had never been so happy to see anyone in his life. "It's me!"

"Why didn't you just call me Willow?" she asked in confusion, after hugging him tightly.

"I didn't," Wesley said after releasing her. "He did."

Willow turned completely around to see a man standing patiently in wait behind them. "Hi."

"I have specific orders to deliver you safely to your destination, Miss Rosenberg," he said pointedly, his eyes on the former Watcher standing behind her.

"One second," she said quickly, turning around to face Wesley. "You should have told me you were flying back to London!" she teased. "I would have at the  very least said hello or-or something."

"I just came back to get a few things," he said, his face taking an unpleasant twist. "It seems as though the Council has decided that I am not a suitable  Watcher and have released me from their services."

Willow smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad you're back though... I at least have someone I recognize to talk to."

"Not for long, you won't," Wesley replied apologetically. "I'm leaving in a few days. I'm going to try my luck out as a demon hunter."

"You're going rogue?" Willow asked, leaning closer to him. Behind her, she could hear the man shuffling his feet. "Well, if you ever want to come back and  hang out, I'll be... around," she answered vaguely.

"I'm glad to hear it, Willow," Wesley said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Good luck to you."

After he disappeared from sight, she turned to the man still waiting behind her. "There's nothing to it," she said to herself as she followed him out into  brilliant sunshine. "Welcome to London, me."

- - - - -

To be continued.


	2. What We All Must Understand

Author's Note: I know I'm writing this as I try to finish a second one, but it's for a good cause, really!

- - - - -

**Chapter 2**

**What We All Must Understand**

- - - - -

It was nearly lunchtime when the car driving Willow from the airport stopped. she glanced out the window, her  eyes suddenly clouded with confusion. They were on a street corner in ordinary London. They'd been driving maybe  a half hour.

She blinked, trying to make sure she was seeing clearly. Leaning up to the man sitting in the driver's seat of  the large black sedan, she inquired, "Is this where I'm supposed to be?"

He handed her a letter over the back of his seat.

"Well, now, that makes more sense," Willow replied as she took the letter and opened it. After reading through it  twice, she put her hand on the door handle. The driver got out and opened the trunk, handing Willow her luggage. 

"Good luck, Miss Rosenberg."

"Thank you," Willow said with her quiet smile as she proceeded toward a phone booth, standing at a slight tilt on  the corner. Behind her, the sedan pulled back into traffic.

"And everything about this looks normal," Willow joked to herself as she dialed the numbers on the old phone.

Please state your name.

"Willow Rosenberg," she replied, glancing at the letter again. "I'm here for a two o'clock with the Department of  Magical Education."

The cool feminine voice instructed her to place the badge that had been spit out from the coin tray of the phone  and fasten it to her robes. Willow quickly fastened the badge and smiled. It lasted only momentarily as the booth  started to descend.

Willow screamed, her hands hitting the sides of the glass as daylight quickly disappeared. "Oh my God," she  whispered as layers of light began flashing through the booth until it came to a stop, finally.

The doors opened up.

She stepped out and looked around, wheeling her large suitcase behind her. "Wow," she whispered, taking it all  in. There were dozens of fireplaces lined up on one wall and what appeared to be a bank of elevators gathered up  on the other end. Or were those fireplaces as well? As Willow walked along, she was taken by the large mix of  both men and women dressed in long, brightly colored robes. They appeared to be in a queue of some sort, waiting  to...

It seemed all too strange. They were standing in line to get into a fireplace. It had to be some mode of  transportation, but Willow couldn't tell what for.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a hand took her arm. She gasped, dropping the two bags she carried on her  shoulder. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she gasped, bending over and lifting the bags again. "I wasn't watching where I was  going..."

"Are you looking for a particular office?"

"It'd be nice if you could sort of point me in the right direction," Willow said, unfolding the letter and  showing it to a young man, dressed in long, flowing emerald green robes.

"Department of Magical Education," he said, pointing toward the bank of elevators. "You want sixth level. Just  get inside, tell it where you need to go, and just follow on from there."

"Thank you," Willow thanked him, but he was already moving off. Feeling slightly more confused than she did five  minutes ago, she stepped into the queue. Within a few minutes, she was stepping inside the elevator with another  throng of people. After calling out level six, she stayed in the back as the cage began to descend once again.

It finally stopped on level six. Willow stepped out and found herself looking at a beautiful sight. The walls and  ceiling were gold, and the windows looked out into a magnificent garden. It had to be magic, she realized,  because most of it was all underground. They had to be underground, because no matter which elevator she took, it  just went down.

While she was deducting all of the reasoning in her head, she had no idea that someone had stopped in front of  her and plucked the letter from her hands. "Miss Willow Rosenberg?"

Willow turned toward the voice with a dreamy expression. "That's just -- huh? Oh! Willow... I mean, I'm Willow."

"I thought you might be," the woman said, gesturing toward a large chair. "Have a seat in my office."

"I'm in your office?" Willow asked in a tiny voice as she took a seat.

"Somehow you managed to find your way in here," the woman replied, folding up Willow's letter and setting it  aside. "So you're one of our new American university students."

"Yes, I am," Willow said, trying to make herself sound more presentable than the idiot she'd sounded like only  moments before.

"We've asked you to meet with myself or one of the other counselors before you start off your new education," the  woman explained, pulling open a desk drawer and lifting out a large blue package. She handed it over to Willow.  "This contains your course list and your book list. You, of course, have your choice in which cirriculum you  decide to follow, but the book list is the same for whichever classes you wish to take. And all students must  have Potions and History. There aren't any two ways about that. Have you decided on a direction of study you wish  to partake?"

Willow had thought about this through much of the twenty-one hour flight and delay. She frowned, deep in thought.  "I was looking at the technopagan studies, although they seem to be a bit undefined. I was also quite interested  in this..." She quickly opened up her handbag and removed a catalogue. "An Auror?"

"A dark wizard apprehender," the woman replied, crossing her hands and planting a perfect toothy smile on her  face. "How... nice."

"Obviously you've heard something good about me if I'm here," Willow said quickly, taking the woman's casual  interest in her to heart. "You must understand, I come from a different continent and a different way of life."

"We really take all of that into consideration, Willow," the woman replied quickly. "Honestly, we do."

Willow shook her head in disbelief. All of the culture shock was beginning to hit her. This woman really had an  annoying accent, not to mention that perfect, blinding smile was starting to unnerve her. "I have already decided  on my schedule too, if you don't mind me telling you. I want to study Runes, the History of Magic in the Muggle  World, Potions and, of course, Introduction to Transfiguration. This term, anyway."

The woman consulted her list a moment. "That seems like a good-sized courseload, especially since most of your  Potions laboratories will be held after dark."

"I can deal," Willow said, memories flashing before her eyes. "I've had a lot of experience dealing with the  night."

"Very well," the woman said, making a tiny note on her clipboard. "Welcome to the Apocrypha University of Magic.  In your packet you'll find everything you need to prepare for your courses. We will also need you to stop by  Diagon Alley and pick up a wand, since wands are a requirement at our school. I happen to sense your magic is  triggered by your mind but in time, you will be as proficient with a wand as you are with your thoughts. We will  also add a small course for your first year and that would be Introduction to Wands. It's only two hours per week  but I believe it'll help you get acquainted with an instrument you will most likely be using your entire life."

As thoughts of whipping out her wand to help slay vampires crossed over her mind, the woman charged on.

"You will be required to meet with me or one of my associates at the end of your first term before you start on  spring term. By then hopefully you will decide what you want to study."

"I can only hope," Willow muttered under her breath.

"Now... we have booked you a room in advance at one of the finer inns on Diagon Alley. Once you return outside,  the driver will take you there. Feel free to unwind, since you still have a few days before the train leaves for  Apocrypha. The school is quite near the other institution in the area, Hogwarts. Some of the faculty from  Hogwarts are also going to teaching at Apocrypha. You will understand when you get there. Since you have a few  days before the train leaves, that will give you plenty of time to prepare. Just read the notes inside and feel  free to contact me if you have any questions."

"I have one to begin with," Willow replied, standing up and lifting the heavy package into her arms. "Who are  you?"

"Oh, my dear," the woman said, clapping a hand over her mouth. "I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Delores  Umbridge."

"Good to meet you, um... ma'am?"

"Try Consulate," the woman replied, twisting her tiny hands together anxiously. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my two  fifteen will be arriving shortly and I must meet them in the hallway. Have a nice day. And don't forget, if you  would like to spend more time here, there is a tour going through right about now. You might be able to catch  them."

"Right," Willow said, taking her luggage and dragging it out behind her, weighed down even more by the heavy  packet. "That's exactly what I need... to get more lost."

- - - - -

"This is wonderful," Hermione raved as she picked her way through a large box of chocolates. After debating on  whether or not to get rid of the large package Fred and George had given them, Ron had finally decided to just  bust it open and get it over with. Since they had, Hermione had burst into song twice while Harry's wand had shot  out a stream of flames instead of violet sparks.

"I'm not even going to begin to ask what this is," Ron said moodily, lifting a shiny stick and peering at it  closely. "If it turns me into anything unnatural, I'm going to kill those twins."

"Be nice," Hermione giggled, her voice still melodic as she gently set down the box, her eyes already  anticipating the next brightly-wrapped candy. "Do you realize how much work they put into this?"

"We're probably just their guinea pigs," Ron muttered as he handed the stick off to Harry, who laughed and  unwrapped it, cracking it in half.

"Personally, I'm glad they thought of us," Hermione said, finally selecting a small package of what appeared to  be jelly beans inside the basket. "I can't wait to see what they sent to the University."

"I can't wait to get there," Ron said, tucking a bit of the stick into the corner of his mouth. He turned and  grinned at Harry. "I can't wait until there's just three of us to a room instead of five."

"Speak for yourself," Hermione said huffily, tasting the edge of a bean. "I'm a little less anxious and a little  more hesitant myself."

"But why?" Harry asked curiously. "I mean, I know you won't be in the same tower as Ron and I, but you'll have  only one other person living with you."

Hermione sighed and reached for the packet of information on the table in front of them. "My new roommate is a  Witch from Cyprus by the name of Aura Starr."

"Too bad you didn't want the room draw with the rest of the Gryffindors," Ron smirked as he began gathering all  of the empty wrappers around them.

"I wanted a change," Hermione admitted. "I've been living with those people for seven years and now I think I  need a bit of a change of pace. If I have to sift through Greek vernacular, so be it."

"Our little girl has grown up," Harry said, his eyes softening as he glanced at Hermione. "I'm glad you decided  to take the plunge for us."

"Personally, I couldn't believe it when Harry and I drew the same room," Ron said, a slight flush appearing in  his cheeks.

"Maybe because you personally fixed it so you would?" Hermione pointed out. "I mean, what's so bad about rooming  with Neville Longbottom? And besides, you two did request a suite and in that suite comes a third roommate. And  you have no idea who he is yet."

"At least we know it won't be Malfoy," Ron spat bitterly. "He and those two overgrown boulders are probably going  to be hogging the third floor suite."

"You could get someone completely new from another country," Hermione pointed out.

"Just like your Lady of Greece?" Ron snickered.

Whenever this bickering started, Harry found it best to stay out of it. His thoughts were on how his experience  at this new experimental University would change his life.

- - - - -

Willow studied the list in front of her. After the taxi had dropped her off at Diagon Alley with instructions to  get inside, she had found her inn, unpacked and had gone shopping.

Her first culture shock was walking into the Alley for the first time. Everyone there looked like everyone else  at the Ministry. All were wearing long robes of various shades and colors. They were all jabbering excitedly as  they moved from place to place.

Her first stop was at Flourish and Blotts. As she stepped inside, she felt as though she were being transported  to a whole new world. It was like being with Giles in the Library. Again.

She pulled out her book list and made up her mind on which classes she had already signed up for. After making a  decision on which other classes she was actually interested in, she managed to find herself stalled out at the  books for introductory Transfiguration.

"I am so lost," she mused aloud as she lifted one book from the stack and began to pore though it. Before she  knew it, one of those weird men in a long red robe was standing over her, clearing his throat.

"Can I help you?"

Willow glanced up and quickly stood up, brushing off her long skirt. "Um, hi. I was looking f-for this." She  handed him the booklist and showed him the book. He nodded and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like  "Apocrypha" under his breath.

As he started gathering her books for her, Willow found herself at the discount book counter, going over  different volumes.

"Are you one of the exchange students?" the Wizard asked her, taking a stab at making conversation. "I haven't  heard your accent before."

"I'm from the United States," Willow told him as she glanced through the index of a particularly thick book.

"Ah!" the Wizard exclaimed as he started going through the remainder of her list. "Which school did you attend  over there? I have heard there are many popular Wizarding schools--"

"I-I didn't," willow confessed. "I never attended a magic school."

The Wizard looked deeply impressed or else really agitated. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

A faint smile crossed her face as the past three years of being a Slayer's sidekick flickered through her mind,  like a really good made-for-television movie. "I think I do," she replied softly as she collected some of the  discount books. "In fact, if I hadn't been offered a spot at this prestigious school, I never would have been  introduced to your world at all. I'm what you call a Muggle."

"You don't say." The Wizard was now watching her very carefully as he started bagging her books. "Would you like  those too?"

Willow nodded and pulled a shiny blue card. "I was told to use this to pay for everything."

"Good old Ministry credit," he replied, taking the card from her and ringing up the other stack of books. "As  soon as you get a Gringotts vault, you'll be set."

"I'll probably have to take care of that tomorrow because it's nearly dark now," Willow said, her voice full of  disappointment.

"Are you with the others at the Leaky Cauldron? Or are you staying at the new Three Broomsticks?" he asked her as  he handed her the bags.

"The Leaky Cauldron," Willow replied, tucking the blue card back into her purse. "Thank you for your help."

He smiled as she retreated to the door. Although the sun had dipped below the horizon, the streets seemed to be  empty. The few Witches and Wizards that moved about moved quickly and direct, no longer browsing. "At this rate,"  Willow grumbled as she toted the three heavy bags back to the inn, "it'll take me three months to get all this  shopping done!"

- - - - -

To be continued.


	3. Flying High

It's so peaceful, lying in bed, typing and listening to the howling of wolves. They really sound like they're  close by. It's given me inspiration to write this chapter, truly.

Willow gets a ride and meets a familiar face. And Harry and friends prepare to leave.

And a BIG thank you to my super secret beta. Mwah!

- - - - -

**Chapter 3**

**Flying High**

- - - - -

It was the day before Willow was going to leave for the new school. She was, by this time, excited beyond all  belief. She could it difficult to sleep at night and was waking up earlier than she'd expected to browse about  Diagon Alley.

It was quickly becoming her home. She'd spent hours poring over Numerology supplies. Not to mention even longer  hours were spent in the store with all the fascinating quills and inkpads. She found herself lost in front of an  entire display of eagle quills for over an hour until it dawned on her the extent of her geekiness. Apologizing  to the shopkeep, she paid for the quills and quickly disappeared back into Diagon Alley.

She finally had everything she needed. A large stack of new textbooks were carefully marked and were ready to be  read. She had taken the liberty of glancing through the first few chapters of each text. They grew more  interesting as she sorted through the stacks.

She had also purchased enough parchment, quills and ink to keep her notes and things together. She didn't realize  how much she'd bought until she realized she had an entire basket of quills. Flushing slightly, she binded some  of them together and tucked them away into her bag for storage. Surely she didn't need thirty quills for the  start of term. Once again, she found herself embracing her own nerdiness.

It was on this last day that she decided to wander toward a different store. It was one she'd passed frequently  but hadn't stepped inside yet. It boasted top-quality Quidditch supplies. She decided it would be for the best to  at least see what was inside. Ducking in past the doors, she found herself glancing at dozens of broomsticks  suspended in mid-air.

In the back of the store, one of the assistants was giving a demonstration on the new prototype model, the  Firebolt II. As he offered a young child the chance of a lifetime to get onto the broomstick and take it on a  carefully controlled test flight, Willow found herself among the crowds watching with interest as the child  zoomed gaily around the store with a resounding "Whee!".

Once the child was safely on the ground, everyone in the small store applauded loudly and set out to read up on  this newest model. Willow herself was very interested in learning more about a broomstick and approached the  sales assistant promptly. "Excuse me," she said, trying to talk over the sound of the dozens of other people  talking. "I was wondering if by chance you could help me choose a broomstick."

The sales associate appeared to be delighted. "Of course!" he said, jovially, dragging her over to his counter  and bending down behind it. "You've come to the right place, Ms... er..."

"Rosenberg," Willow said plainly. "That's my name."

"And a fine out at that," came his muffled reply. When he finally straightened, he was handing her a large box.  "I knew right from the start and having that accent you must be one of the new Apocrypha folk."

"I am," Willow replied, surprised he guessed so easily. "I guess you were informed that we were coming."

He glanced at her as he started piling catalogue after catalogue onto the box. "Your assumptions are correct," he  finally said, surveying her closely, as though slightly suspicious. "American, by the looks of you."

"I'm from California," Willow said quietly as he turned to rustle on the shelves behind him. Realizing the box  was getting slightly heavy, she set it down on the edge of one of the counters and watched as he brought down a  leatherbound book and handed it to her.

"This is all you'll need to figure out which broom you'd want," he said with a heavy shrug. "There's tables  outside. And if you want a roll around the Alley, just let me know. I'd be more than happy to give you a test  ride."

A test ride? Just the thought of being off her feet on one of those broomsticks was terrifying. But, then again,  how was she ever going to learn?

She brought all of the things he'd given her and sat outside in the daylight. The warm sunshine felt welcome  after standing in that cold storeroom for the past hour. Sifting through the catalogues, she narrowed her choice  down to three broomsticks. After she set the brightly-colored booklets aside, she turned her attention to the box  and opened it.

Inside was yet another stack of books and catalogues. But there was also a large bottle of some sort of wax and a  large pair of shears. Confused, she replaced the goods and sealed the box. As she sat back down, she felt an  uncomfortable poke in her rear. Reaching into her long navy robes, she pulled out her wand.

Twelve inches. And created from willow bark. It also contained part of the horn of a unicorn. After she'd  purchased it two days ago, she'd been using it for target practice. Her aim was embarrassingly off as she kept  knocking out windows or shattering mirrors instead of blasting a hole through a simple dart board. Once again,  she figured it would just take a bit of time to get used to the new system.

As she continued to look through the books, she was unaware that someone was staring at her from across the  street. It was only when she stood up and noticed him did she gather her things and move back inside. Once  inside, it took her another half hour to narrow her choice from three to two. And the sales associate was nice  enough to allow her to test both broomsticks in an uncontrolled outdoor environment.

Willow found herself tingling with excitement as the associate handed her the newly improved Nimbus 2003. He set  it down on the ground and turned to her expectantly. Feeling as though the entire street was staring at her, she  just stared back at the shopkeep, who was almost daring her to make an idiot of herself.

"Just say up," a quiet voice said from behind her.

Willow didn't dare turn around in case it was a trick of some kind. She stared at the broomstick a moment longer  before whispering, "Up."

It didn't really move at all. It sort of wiggled and rolled over slightly.

"Place your hand over it," the voice advised again. "And say up."

Willow did what the man's voice had instructed her to do. She placed her hand over the broom, her eyes focused on  the shiny wood. "Up!"

This time, the broomstick flew easily into her hands.

There was a scattering of applause in the Alley. Willow tried to hide her pink face but was unsuccessful. She  also found she had a new dilemma. She had a broomstick in her hand but not one clue on how to even board or fly  it. She was hoping she could ask the voice again and turned in the direction, only to see an older man staring  hard at her.

"What do I do now?" she asked him curiously.

"Have you ever ridden a broom before?" he asked, his voice still soft.

She shook her head no. His eyebrows arched in surprise as he stepped forward. "Put your leg over that side...  like so. And put your hands there and lift the front end up... like that... and when you're ready to fly... just  surrender."

Willow didn't like hearing the sound of that at all. Closing her eyes, she whispered to herself, "Just let me  go."

The broom seemed to listen to her as it lifted ever so slightly in the air. Bending forward slightly, her hands  grasping the wooden barrel in an exceedingly tight grasp, the broom suddenly jolted twenty feet forward, jerking  her back and forth. "Crap," she muttered, looking down. The ground was getting further and further away.

She pulled her shaking hands off the handle, leaning back slightly.

It seemed to be the break the broom was looking for. It suddenly shot out. Willow screamed as she replaced her  grip, but the broom didn't slow. It soared over the rooftops and toward the mountains and a brilliant mid-day  sky. As she smiled into the sunlight, the broom seemed to stop and reverse directions. With a shuddering gasp,  Willow held on for dear life as the broom aimed down at nearly a forty degree angle, gathering speed quickly.

It pelted through the streets before stopping abruptly in front of the sales associate.

Pushing her windswept hair from her eyes, Willow unboarded the broom, barely able to stand on quaking knees. "I  don't suppose you'd let me try the other one?" she asked lightly.

He snorted as he snatched the broomstick from her, stalking back inside.

"He's just upset, that's all," the voice said quietly again.

"As long as you've given me the satisfaction of humiliating myself forever," Willow said, crossing her arms, "the  least you could do is introduce yourself."

His eyes flickered over her without the slightest bit of interest. "You really don't need to know who I am," he  said crossly. "All you need to know is whether or not you can keep your pretty face from being smashed in when  you get on the new Firebolt."

"Oh, no," Willow moaned as the assistant returned with the second broomstick. "Well, at least I know I can't get  myself killed before start of term, right?"

Behind her, the voice snorted.

Willow walked reluctantly over and took the second broom in her hands. Whimpering sligtly, she boarded it. But it  was much different than the last time. This one seemed to be thinking along the same lines as she was. As soon as  she thought it would be nice to ascend a little slower than the last one, the broom lifted ever so slowly.

"I could get used to this," she whispered as the broom took a nice, leasurely trip around the outskirts of town  before settling back down on the street.

The assistant eyed the broom and sighed as he lifted it. "It's the last one, if you'd like it," he said curtly.

Willow nodded. "I'll take it."

"What," the voice replied smugly, "you decided you didn't want to end up with all those broken bones in those  fleshy cheeks?"

Willow bit back a retort as she disappeared inside. "Awfully charming fellow standing there," she fumed as she  swiped her card.

He handed her a bit of parchment to sign. "Oh, that's just Malfoy, making troubles and excuses as he always does.  With his parents in Azkaban, he has to be getting his kicks from somewhere. Just watch your back around him and  you'll be fine."

Willow thought about that as he wrapped her broomstick and handed it to her. "The extra supplies are yours too,"  he said, gesturing to the box. Realizing she had to carry both, she managed to lift them awkwardly into her arms  and stumble out of the shop.

"You look like you could use a hand."

It was that same agitating drawl.

"Look," Willow said, her temper getting the best of her, "if all you're going to do is throw around insults, I'm  not interested. You could get off your lazy ass and help me, but I guess you're not man enough to do that."

His grey eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. He walked toward her, towering over her. "I'd watch my tongue if  you'd want to keep it," he said, his voice dangerous calm although his eyes were ablaze. As he took the box from  her arms, he kept his eyes on her. "You're one of those new ones, aren't you?"

"I am," Willow said, defiantly lifting her chin in the air. As they retreated back to the Leaky Cauldron, Willow  noticed the man was looking at her carefully. "What are you looking at?"

"You remind me of someone I know," he said, his voice less hostile as they climbed the steps. "Is this your  room?"

She nodded and pushed the door open, inviting him inside. "Um... thank you for helping me."

"Anytime," he drawled, before backing out.

"It was good to meet you, Malfoy," she shouted at his retreating back.

Although 'good' might be a difficult word to use.

- - - - -

Inside the Three Broomsticks, a group of friends was enjoying one last butterbeer before their train ride to the  new University. Ginny Weasley had joined them in her own anxiety to complete her seventh and final year at  Hogwarts.

"I don't know how you're going to do it, Gin," Ron said, a teasing glint in his eye as he ordered another round.  "Sole Weasley and a Head Girl to boot... some might just call you lucky."

"It's about time, too!" Ginny teased. "Finally when someone says 'Weasley', there won't be a whole handful of us  looking over our shoulders and acknowledging it."

"Too right you are," Hermione replied. "Besides, it'll be good for you. You can make your own friends and you  don't have to hang out with us ancients anymore."

Ginny squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. "Well, you three were always the ones that I liked being around the  most..."

"What about Looney?" Ron asked as the barkeep arrived, depositing a foaming mug of butterbeer in front of each of  them. "I thought you said you liked her."

"I do," Ginny replied, her voice somewhat distant. "But let's face it. You three are the ones I've always been  able to talk to." As she spoke, she kept her gaze strangely averted from Harry. No matter how far she tried to  push down her feelings, every time she felt vulnerable, they always returned with a vengeance. "Especially you,  Hermione."

Hermione leaned across the table and patted her hand. "You'll be all right, Ginny. And once this year is over,  you can come and play with us next year!"

"I do hope you'll keep out of trouble," Ginny warned them as she sipped the warm liquid. "The last thing you need  to do is brass off your new Professors."

"I have no intention of doing that," Hermione said boldly, her eyes on Ron and Harry, who's faces had cracked  into identically evil grins. "And you two had better stow whatever it is your planning and stuff it."

"Right," Ron said, dragging out the word, the smile never leaving his face.

"Us, evil?" Harry replied, his own grin widening.

"What have you done?" Ginny asked Hermione in mock horror as the boys leaned in and began whispering.

"I have a feeling it involves whatever Fred and George sent us in our welcome baskets," Hermione replied heavily,  letting her hand drop onto the table. "Or something."

There was a slight commotion at the entrance as another person walked inside and was being told off coldly by the  owner. "Uh oh," Harry muttered under his breath. "It's Malfoy."

Ginny looked up, interest sparking in her dark eyes. Next to her, Ron scowled. "You cannot possibly be thinking  what I think it is you're thinking."

"When are you going to ever realize he isn't this horrible person you've all made him out to be?" Ginny asked  curiously.

"Probably never," Harry replied, his eyes still on the tall blonde. As much as he really liked Ginny, the thought  of her even being near Malfoy brought a stab of white-hot jealousy to the pit of his stomach. "Ginny..."

But she had already stood up, tucking back her long sheet of vivid hair. Moving around Ron, she walked toward the  entrance, calling out a cheerful greeting.

"Bloody hell!" Ron gasped from next to Harry. "The nerve of her!"

Across the table, Hermione giggled.

Once Draco had spotted Ginny, he reached out and took her hand, pulling her outside without another word to the  owner, who seemed to seethe a moment before turning away.

Harry rose immediately to follow her. But it was Ron that held his arm and pushed him back down. "No, don't," Ron  said with a sigh. "I don't want her to think we're crowding her. She's seventeen now... she knows what she's  doing."

"Besides," Hermione said, slapping her empty mug on the table, "we have to finish packing for tomorrow, don't  we?"

"I guess," Harry replied as all three rose and retreated back to their rooms. But as Harry passed by a window, he  could see both Draco and Ginny sitting on a bench far below, hand in hand, enjoying conversation.

It was almost too much to think about, but then again, what did he really know?

- - - - -

To be continued... at the new school.


	4. Old Friends, New Enemies

Quick Author's Note: Someone asked me about the title of this fic. It's from the Garth Brooks song, "The Dance" and  especially a small stanza:

And now, I'm glad I didn't know,

The way It all would end,

The way It all would go,

Our lives are better left to chance,

I could have missed the pain,

But I'd of had to miss the dance.

If you really think about what it would mean for Willow to leave everyone behind and start a new life, not knowing  where it would end or where it'd go... well... there's your title. It might change to something else down the line, but  that's where it came from.

**Author's Note (added 7/5**): I have done some re-writing after two reviewers completely made me realize that I was doing  some stuff wrong. And you know what's even worse? Having this almost completely unbetaread. I miss my betas, but I  promised myself I wouldn't use them for this. I guess maybe I'd have been better off if I had, huh?

So the end of Chapter 4 has been re-written... again. And another note was added at the end. And part of Chapter 5 has  been rewritten, too. Thanks to moonbunny77 and raven for their critical reviews. And I apologize since this is probably  the fourth or fifth time I've changed this chapter.

- - - - -

**Chapter 4**

**Old Friends, New Enemies**

- - - - -

It was just before ten when Willow arrived at the train station. She pulled her bag behind her, slightly put off by the  fact that there were so many things tied to it. It was completely unrecognizable from the bag she'd arrived in England  with.

In her left hand, she held a large hockey bag she'd managed to find in a second-hand store on the corner opposite that  of The Leaky Cauldron. It was perfect to store her broomstick and all of those free supplies the store owner had  managed to give to her.

When she'd left that morning, there had been a rush to get to the few taxi cabs that had lined along the street corner.  Willow had completely bypassed those and had started toward her own chauffered car. It was a wonderful thing, she  realized, to be treated like something special and out of the ordinary.

After living in Buffy's shadow for so long, it was nice to be distinguished as someone who deserved their own private  chauffer.

He loaded her things into the trunk and she took the backseat, watching London sail by on the short twenty minute drive  to the station. Once he'd gotten all of her luggage on a cart, he'd tipped his hat and returned to the car. Willow was  left alone to stare at the different trains and the many people coming to and from.

It wasn't until she noticed a large group of people walking by and talking about Muggles and Spells that Willow  realized she was in the right place after all.

As she stood up to move, another girl stepped in front of her. As the two collided, Willow fell hard onto the ground  with a sharp cry. The other girl fell against the post but recovered long enough to help Willow stand again. "I'm  really sorry about that," she said with a quick smile.

"Me too," Willow replied, brushing the dirt from her new clothes. "That floor was hard." The girl standing across from  her had a sharp foreign accent. "Your accent..."

"You have one too," the girl replied, quickly glancing around to make sure nothing had fallen off the cart. Perched  precariously on top was a large cage which rattled everytime someone raised their voice around it. "Yours sounds  American."

"It is," Willow replied, checking her own luggage. "I'm from California. Where are you from? You don't sound English."

"It's Irish," the girl replied, tucking a lock of dark hair behind one ear. "Although I'm technically from Iceland."

Willow looked impressed as she gazed at the girl thoughtfully. "I'm Willow Rosenberg."

"Keira," the other girl replied, extending her hand. "It's quite good to meet you." The cage next to her rattled again  and the girl giggled.

"What's under there?" Willow asked, her eyes wide.

"You know how on the requirements letter they told us we can bring a pet to Apocrypha, right?" Keira asked as she  stepped forward and gingerly lifted the corner of the blanket. "I decided to bring me bird."

Willow's eyes widened further as she saw one amber eye staring at her from behind narrow bars. "You brought a raven?"  she asked curiously.

"Ailis is no ordinary raven," Keira said, replacing the blanket and tucking it in neatly around the edges. "She has  special powers, you know."

"Oh," Willow said, crossing her arms. "So in other words, you have a magical raven."

"Something of the sort, yeah," Keira said, stepping away from the rattling cage. "I noticed you didn't bring an  animal."

"I really haven't had time to look for one," Willow admitted. "I've been so busy getting things that are actually  required that I ignored the optional."

"There'll be time," Keira replied. "I heard the villages near the campus are extraordinary."

"Have you seen the campus?" Willow asked.

"No one has," Keira said, taking the handle of the cart and pushing it along. Willow quickly claimed hers and fell into  step next to the Irish girl. "Have you gotten your room assignment?"

"No," Willow said, suddenly confused. "Don't they usually give you one before you get to the school so at least you  have some idea where you're going?"

"Perhaps," Keira replied, tilting her head in thought. "But I heard that Hogwarts, that's the British school of Magic,  had a sorting of sorts."

"A sorting?" Willow asked, confused.

"Apparently they were randomly chosen by a hat to be sorted into the best dormitory to suit them," Keira clarified as  they reached the edge of a large crowd of people trying to get onto the midday train at Platform Nine. "Excuse me!" she  said, calling out to a guard and handing him her ticket. "Perhaps you could tell us where we might find this platform?"

"Platform nine and three quarters, eh?" the man said, scratching the bald patch on top of his head. "Must have been a  bad ticket. I could run you up another."

"Oh, no," Keira said, blinking, realizing she'd been in error to question a Muggle. "Thank you for your help though. My  friend and I will find our own way. Thank you now. Thanks!"

Willow watched as the man melted into the crowd. She was so surprised about the Muggle not knowing what was going on  that she completely overlooked the fact that Keira had called her a friend. "How about those people?" she asked,  pointing to a small group of people standing between two posts. "Maybe they know."

Keira eyed them cautiously, but then her gaze relaxed. There were three of them, surrounded by two redheaded adults and  a tall elderly woman. Two of them carried covered cages and the girl with the wild brown hair held a basket that was  rattling even worse than Ailis' cage. "I wonder," she whispered as she hurried forward, Willow following close behind.

The elderly woman turned with a start as the two approached, but quickly relaxed when she saw they looked tired,  frustrated and were absolutely loaded with luggage.

"Hello, there," Keira greeted them. "I was wondering if you by chance had any idea where Platform nine and three  quarters was?"

"Right here," said one of the boys in the group, gesturing toward a solid post.

"I beg your pardon?" Keira asked, her dark eyes widening.

"Watch Ron," said the boy, turning to the other one standing next to him. The redheaded boy backed up with his trunk a  bit, stared hard at the column, and began running directly at it.

Willow gasped. The boy had to be mad!

But miraculously, instead of smashing into it and fracturing bones, he disappeared.

"What was that?" she asked in wonder.

"The way to Platform nine and three quarters!" the woman replied with a tiny wink. "Why don't you two go on ahead? That  way, if you have problems, we'll be behind to watch your backs."

Willow and Keira exchanged a troubled glance before pushing their carts forward.

"I'm ready if you are," Willow muttered.

Keira gave a nervous chuckle. "If this doesn't work, I'm going to give them a lashing like no other."

The two women broke into a quick run. Willow closed her eyes as they approached the barrier.

And suddenly she felt a shadow come across her face and stopped. Unfortunately, Keira was still running with her eyes  closed and ran smack into her. Both women fell for the second time that day.

"Ow," Willow said, this time helping Keira to her feet. "Where...?"

Her question was lost as both women took in the scenery. They collected their carts and moved around the corner.

"What?" Keira asked faintly.

It was a large red train with a golden star at the front of the Engine, labeled 'Apocrypha One'. One of the conductors  was moving through the crowds of people and finally arrived at the two women, still staring at the train. "I'll be  having your tickets now."

Willow blinked and reached inside her purse, pulling out her golden ticket. Keira handed hers over and they both moved  their carts to the edge. Both boys and girls were starting to pile inside, dragging their luggage. "Maybe we should get  inside," she said uncertainly.

"It's what one normally does when they see a train," a cold drawl came from behind them. Willow turned to see Malfoy  standing there, his arms crossed and smirking. "If it isn't the Little Red Riding Hood."

Keira crossed her arms and scowled.

"And her little sidekick!" Malfoy continued, spotting Keira for the first time.

Willow had the sudden intuition that Keira was going to attack the taller blonde and placed her arm out, blocking  Keira's movement. "Don't."

"Oh, right, Red. Promote school and ethnic unity and all that," he said, his silvery eyes sparkling maliciously. "We'll  see who really succeeds now, won't we?"

"If you hang out with those two brains that we consider dumber than toilet seats, you'll have no problem," a voice sang  out from behind Malfoy. He turned, his eyes suddenly hardening.

"Well if it isn't Miss Granger," he taunted as she stepped forward, her hands on her hips. "You keep getting lovelier  and lovelier."

"Shut up, Malfoy," she snarled before turning to the other two women. "Load and stow your things in a compartment and  then find seats. The train leaves in fifteen minutes."

Keira and Willow wasted no time in getting their things aboard the train. Once they'd secured everything, they sat down  to relax.

"This is definitely much better than all that waiting," Keira said happily, pulling the blanket off Ailis's cage and  opened the tiny door. "And I hope you don't mind if I take her out. She's been cooped up since last night. What a  horrible Muggle security measure."

"Not at all," Willow echoed as a small raven flew from her cage, circling their small compartment.

As the train began to move, the few stragglers left walked down the narrow hall, attempting to find a space for their  things. Keira had opened her welcome packet and was now reading aloud when the door burst open and another woman  stepped inside, breathing hard.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" she asked, her voice heavily accented.

"Not at all," Keira said, gesturing to the empty seat opposite Keira and Willow. "I'm Keira. She's Willow. And  you're..."

"Aura," the girl replied hurriedly, stashing her trunk away quickly, but leaving her own cage on the floor. Ailis  soared around happily above their heads. "Thank you."

"No problem," said Keira, lowering her welcome book slightly. "Your accent... you're not from around here, are you?"

"Cyprus," Aura replied quickly, sitting down and setting her cage next to her. "Whereabouts are you all from?"

"I'm from California," Willow said, crossing her legs and sitting up a bit higher on her seat. "Keira's from Iceland."

"Iceland!" Aura said, her emerald eyes sparkling as she turned to Keira. "What made you decide to attend Apocrypha?"

"My parents, mostly," Keira explained, setting the book aside. "They thought it would be a better experience than just  becoming a Ministry employee like them."

"True enough," Willow said. "I came here out of curiosity."

Aura was nodding. "That was my reason for attending as well," she said properly, folding her hands neatly on her lap.  "Have you two received your room assignments?"

"No," Willow replied, shaking her head. Next to her, Keira picked the book up and began flipping through the pages.

"Hey, girls," Keira said, reading from the book, "it says in here that you're sorted into your new rooms."

"Are you certain?" Aura asked in confusion as Keira lowered the book again. "I was given the assignment that I was  rooming with an Hermione Granger."

"Granger..." Willow said thoughtfully. She'd heard that name before!

There was a movement outside their door and suddenly it burst open, admitting, to Willow's complete annoyance, Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked. Next to her, Keira tensed. Aura's look was plainly curious although she did  sense that her two companions didn't exactly approve of this new arrival.

"I was coming to check things out," he told Willow coldly, his eyes flickering between Keira and Aura. "And from what I  can see--"

"You won't finish that sentence," Willow said, standing up and facing him. "You're going to respect us and you're going  to turn around and get the hell out of this compartment. Comprende?"

Confusion flickered across his face, but he understood the anger in eyes completely. "All right," he said, smirking at  her. "Has anyone ever told you you're infuriating?"

"Once or twice," Willow shrugged. "Now get."

Once Malfoy had left, Keira grabbed onto her arm, pulling her down. Even Ailis quieted down and settled on Keira's  shoulder with a soft whooshing sound. "That was ruddy brilliant!" she exclaimed, her dark eyes sparkling as she turned  to Aura. "Wasn't that brilliant?"

Aura looked even more confused and lost than ever, causing both Willow and Keira to giggle. "Oh, Aura, I'm sorry,"  Willow said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "That was Malfoy. From what I can gather, he's a leech. He's best left to  rot with the dogs."

"Oh," Aura said, and suddenly her eyes got very wide. "Oh."

Keira giggled again. "I never had this much fun with my friends at my other school," she said, her laughter dying away.  "They were always too serious a group. How about you, Willow?"

Willow smiled as memories of Sunnydale came floating back. "Oh, you know," she said, waving her hand aside as though it  were nothing. "The usual."

"What does that mean?" Aura asked politely.

"Well," Willow said, trying to figure out a way to explain it, "I had two really great friends. I kind of miss them,  but I can tell they're happier there."

"It truly sounds like you miss them," Keira said with some concern. "It must be strange to be so far away."

"It really is," Willow confirmed as both women turned to Aura. "How about you? What is it like where you're from?"

A faraway glint came into her eyes as she started to explain, half in English and half in Greek, her own reasons for  coming to Apocrypha.

She finally fell silent. Willow glanced out the window. It had been nearly two hours since they'd boarded the train.

A knock sounded on the door and a friendly face peered inside. "Hello, girls! Would you care for a bite from the snack  cart?"

"What have you got?" Willow asked curiously as her stomach gave a frightening lurch. She'd been too nervous to eat  breakfast that morning.

"Cauldron cakes, pumpkin pastries," the Witch said, glancing at the contents on the cart, "along with some candy bits."

"Can we try a little bit of each?" Keira asked curiously.

"Certainly," the Witch said, turning away and returning a moment later with a box loaded with snacks and  brightly-wrapped packages. "That'll be six sickles and four knuts."

She was met by three empty stares. "What?" they asked together.

- - - - -

"This lot tastes almost as good as it did on the Hogwarts Express," Harry said, happily biting into a cauldron cake.  "How about you two?"

"It definitely tastes good," Ron said, ripping into his second cake eagerly.

Hermione was just staring at the two of them and shaking her head, laughing slightly.

There was a knock on the door and soon they were joined by another former Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom.

If anyone had had the most drastic change during their seven years at Hogwarts, Neville qualified. He'd come a long way  since being the quiet, shy boy many had thought he was. Certainly he was a bit daft, but it came from being raised  without parents. His friendly, round face had transformed into an angular face that had been worn with anger and grief.

"Come in, Neville!" Hermione said in a friendly voice, since both Harry and Ron were chewing. "Sit down, have a cake.  Please."

"I just made my way through the entire train," he said breathlessly. "Do you realize how many new students there are?"

"There would be, wouldn't there?" Hermione replied, lifting her own welcome book off her lap and continuing to read.  "It's open to all around the world." She lowered the book slightly as she remembered the two girls who had had to  endure Draco's taunting. "I saw two of them earlier. They were definitely not from Hogwarts because I'd never seen them  before in my life."

"Wait," Ron said, swallowing hard, "are you talking about the same two Tonks was talking to?"

Hermione nodded.

"Right," he said, a smile breaking across his face. "There was a redhead and a girl with really, really dark hair."

Hermione tucked a lock of long hair behind her ear and returned to her reading. Ron and Harry soon got into an argument  about whether or not Quidditch would be played at their new school. Neville had picked up another one of Hermione's  books and buried his face inside. Hermione felt slightly sorry for him, considering all Ron and Harry ever did was  discuss Quidditch.

Her thoughts were interrupted with the arrival of Draco. As he stood inside their compartment, his eyes coldly founds  Harry's. "I should have known you were the last compartment," he snarled.

Harry glanced up, his eyes darkening. "Where are your thugs?" he asked darkly. "Or didn't they get past that little  test where they actually had to read a sentence?"

Draco's mouth tightened. Then he smirked. "How's your girl, Potter?"

That was it, Harry decided, as he leapt to his feet. "You would best mind your own business," he seethed.

"Did I touch a sore spot?" Draco taunted. "I didn't know you still considered Ginny to be your property."

"Leave her alone," Harry said, his voice dropping dangerously. At hearing his sister was involved in the conversation,  he jumped up next to Harry, wand in hand.

"Stay away from my sister," Ron said angrily, easily towering over Malfoy.

"Break it up, you guys," Hermione said in a quiet voice somewhere below them. "I thought you'd outgrown all of this."

"Some things never change," Ron said, his wand arm not wavering.

"I can't wait to see the look on your face when your sister comes to me," Draco sneered. "Because we both know she  likes a bit of evil in her guy. Potter must have really dulled her up for her to go rebel."

"That's enough!" Harry said, pulling out his own wand and tipping it underneath Draco's chin.

The old Draco would have squirmed and ran away, but this newer, more confident Draco didn't budge. His eyes were still  dancing with mirth as his hand came up and forcefully pulled Harry's wand from his face. "May the best man win," he  said coldly, lifting his eyebrows suggestively as he backed out.

"I'll be back," Hermione said, using that moment to make her escape.

"Hermione," Ron said, taking her by the arm, "we really didn't mean it."

"Oh, grow up!" Hermione snapped, wrenching her arm free and disappearing.

"Looks like you guys really did it this time," Neville said, his tone bored as he tossed aside the pamphlet he'd been  reading. "Anyone for Wizard's Chess?"

Harry and Ron exchanged an infuriated look. But neither one of them could pass up the opportunity for a good match now  that they'd spent some steam.

Farther down the hall, Hermione caught up with Draco. "Malfoy!" she shouted. He stopped and turned to face her.

"What do you want, Muggle?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she said, gesturing toward their compartment. "I'm actually ashamed that I was there."

"You don't need to apologize for them, Granger," Draco said coldly. "I'm sure they're not that stupid. They ought to  know that part of the dictionary by now."

Hermione's eyes widened and her face reddened, as it usually did when her temper was getting the best of her. "You  little..." she started, stepping so they were face to face. "How dare you?"

"I dare?" he asked with a laugh, crossing his arms. "And don't come near me again... I don't need your mudblood filth  to wash away."

Hermione gasped.

The door to the compartment they'd been arguing in front of opened. "Oh, great," Draco moaned. "It's Little Red."

"That's right," Willow said softly, but her eyes were flashing dangerously. "Leave her alone."

"Yeah!" another voice said as Keira showed up, standing over Willow's shoulder. "What has she done to deserve the likes  of you?"

Draco turned to Willow, who arched a single eyebrow, but didn't move a bit. "You don't scare me, Malfoy. I don't know  you. I don't want to know you."

Hermione smiled slightly. This girl was really bold standing up to someone like Malfoy. Especially since all she seemed  to know was his name.

Draco gave a quick huff, rolled his eyes, and backed away.

Willow mock-saluted him before turning her eyes to Hermione. "I heard him say your name. He said it was Granger."

"Hermione Granger," she said, walking closer to the two girls, who pulled open the door completely, letting her into  the compartment. "And you are...?"

"I'm Keira," the dark-haired girl said, sitting down near the window, "and this is Willow." She indicated the girl who  sat next to her. "And that's Aura... we think."

Hermione's eyes flickered to the third girl. She seemed to be sleeping. "Does she happen to be from Cyprus?" she asked  softly.

The girl named Willow nodded. "She speaks like she is, too."

"Oh," Hermione said, quickly looking away. "Anyway, it was really nice to meet you all."

As she returned to the hall, the same Witch who'd been pushing around the lunch cart suddenly appeared over her  shoulder. "You'd best be getting dressed, ladies," she said kindly. "We'll be arriving at the new campus in about ten  minutes."

As she announced this, a bell could be heard in every compartment, along with the conductor announcing what the Witch  had just informed them. Hermione thanked her and returned to her own compartment, where Harry and Ron were pulling on  long black robes. Neville had already changed into his.

Inside the girl's compartment down the hall, all three managed to get into their long black robes before the train came  to a stop. Keira quickly called for Ailis and locked her back in her cage.

"Would you look at that," she said quietly, suddenly spying a large wall appearing over the tops of trees. Willow and  Aura quickly crowded near the window as a rocky wall appeared in the distance.

The train came to a halt and the three women straightened, moving to get their things and get off the train. But before  they could even get into the hall, the bell rang again. "Leave your things on the train. They will be attended to and  brought into your sorted rooms."

"Fair enough," Willow said, dropping her suitcase and the hockey bag happily. Keira grinned as she lifted Ailis' cage  and the three walked into the hall.

"You never told us what sort of animal you brought, Aura," Willow said as Aura lifted her own cage, holding it  delicately.

"I'd best show you once we get inside," she said, her heavily-accented voice full of pride. Willow shrugged and they  both moved on.

Once outside, there were a long line of carriages. Students were happily grouping off together and moving to claim a  carriage. Willow and Keira shrugged before heading off to their own carriage and quickly getting inside. Aura followed  them, looking as though she were moving through a dreamlike state. Finally, all students must have gotten onto a  carriage because at long last they started moving.

As the trees fell away, the large rocky wall appeared even more formidable. But as the heavy doors opened, they saw  that the grounds in front of the wall were terraced, with rippled waterfalls delicately flowing into perfect pools  below.

One by one the carriages entered the grounds. As Willow's carriage swept inside, she saw the most beautiful site yet.  There were four large buildings, which greatly resembled towers, two on either side. They were connected by bridges  from building to building and two large, arching bridges led to an even larger building in front of them. A large  fountain sat in the center.

The carriages stopped on both sides and students quickly got down, looking around in confusion.

Keira hopped down first, taking Ailis' cage from Willow. She then helped Aura down and handed down her cage before  joining them.

They were all waiting uneasily until the heavy doors to the largest building opened, revealing a tall, formidable  woman. "If you would stand were you are, the faculty will be presenting themselves shortly."

The students started to break into groups and talk while everyone waited for their next set of instructions.

The woman pushed the doors open again, leading a large group of faculty and staff into the courtyard. She was none  other than Minerva McGonagall, their former Transfigurations Professor and Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts.

She clapped her hands. All of the students stopped talking, many of them in confusion.

"Now," Professor McGonagall began, "some of you might not recognize me, but my name is Professor McGonagall and I am  currently residing at Hogwarts. Now, before we begin, I'll explain how you will be sorted into your new dormitories.  There are four scrolls that will be placed outside each dormitory. You have been randomly selected to be placed into  any building. Once there, some of you will notice you have already received information on a potential roommate. If you  wish, you can keep that same person and live with them for the school year. Otherwise, you may choose someone else. It  is really up to you. Now, before we begin that, I shall introduce you to the faculty and staff that will be educating  you for this next year."

"Your Transfigurations Professor was handpicked by myself and is considered to be one of the top in her field. I am  proud to introduce Professor Sabine Zolen from the Irish Ministry."

Ron was slightly put off when his own brother suddenly strutted onto the platform, his arrogant smirk almost warranting  violence.

"Did you know your brother was teaching introductory lessons?" Harry asked Ron in a whisper.

Ron shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't have a clue."

Hermione shushed them both as Professor McGonagall turned back to the students. "As many of you have heard by now, we  used to have a policy at Hogwarts of sorting students into Houses. You will be relieved to see that although you have  been partially sorted, it is up to you to complete the rest. As I've said, for students that actually attended  orientation at the Ministry, you will have received a book containing all of the students at the school and one that  would have been recommended as a roommate. Whether or not you choose you room with this person is up to you. For now,  you should see which House you've been assigned to. And then you can choose who you wish to bunk with. The four houses  are the House of Summoning, House of Enchantment, House of Conjuration and the House of Invocation. We have dubbed them  differently, of course, as Raven Hall, Dragon Isle, Golden Crest and sadly, we ran out of names."

The group outside tittered as a small chuckle swept through the group.

She lifted her wand and four small blue blurs lit the sky before being whisked out behind them.

A slight smile came to her face as she pocketed her wand. Turning to the students, she lifted her arm to dismiss them  all. "Are you ready?"

- - - - -

Chapter 5 -- the sorting and the meeting with the Heads of House.

Author's Quickie: Once again, I hope you don't mind the change. I really needed to change this chapter so that it would  fit better with the story. Thank you to the reviewers who pointed this out. I actually am throwing a new set of names  at you. I know they're probably AS dumb... and I'm changing the story a lot... but bear with me! This is actually a  birthday present for a beta reader. I need it to actually SOUND good. So thank you for your help. And many apologies if  I offended you, moonbunny77.


	5. A Strange New World

Author's Note (added 7/5): This chapter has been partially rewritten to help ease confusion. I've also rewritten the  last part of the last chapter. I hope this helps. Let me know if it doesn't. Thank you.

- - - - -

**Chapter 5**

**A Strange ****New World******

- - - - -

The students were then rushed back into the courtyard, where the sun was dipping below the horizon and a strange chill  bit the evening air.

Harry held onto both Hermione and Ron as they were swept near a large golden fountain. Four large tablets had been  erected in front of each dormitory, listing names. As soon as a student discovered their name and they found another  person to share a room with in that particular building, a gold thread would easily connect the names.

Harry found himself smiling as he saw that both him and Ron were listed on the large board of House of Summoning. As  soon as they both agreed that neither one would even want to bunk with anyone else, their names were connected by a  golden thread and they joined the growing queue on the steps waiting for the rest of the students to pair off.

Hermione burst through the crowd a few seconds later, a tall redheaded girl in tow. "House of Summoning?" she asked  breathlessly.

Ron nodded as he sat on the stairs, wrapping his arms around his knees. Harry leaned against one of the posts holding  the grand balcony above them. Hermione turned toward the taller girl. "This is Aura. She's the girl I was recommended  to pair up with, so we decided to room together anyway. Aura, this is Ron and Harry. I knew them both from Hogwarts."

"Hello," the girl said, her voice accented, tipping her pale face to both Harry and Ron. Her eyes lit up with interest  when she saw the lightning-bolt scar on Harry's forehead. "You're... him?"

"I guess," Harry said, looking confused as Aura took another step forward, her tumble of curls falling over her  shoulders as she stared openly at his scar. He always felt uncomfortable when people stared at it, but for some reason,  he was getting the chills when Aura did.

"Harry Potter?" she asked softly, a smile lighting up freckled lips. "It's quite the pleasure to meet you. I thought  you were a myth!"

Another group of students were joining them, led by Draco Malfoy. Both of his former thugs, Crabbe and Goyle, were in  tow, guffawing stupidly as Malfoy was taunting a group of girls at the base of the stairs. Aura stepped past the  stumbling group and greeted the group of girls cheerfully.

"She seems... nice..." Harry said, looking after her.

Hermione shrugged. "I really didn't feel like rooming with either of the Patil twins and I did get a rather lengthy  biography on Aura. So, why not?"

"You certainly thought this thing through," Ron said, his own eyes on Aura as she greeted two girls in particular. One  had bright red hair somewhat like his own. The other was darker and more exotic, with pale skin and very dark hair.

The doors opened and the students returned to the Great Hall. All of the faculty were lined up, standing behind their  ornate chairs, waiting patiently for the students to file in. Although four long tables were lined up, Harry was under  the impression they didn't have to follow House rules. He, Ron and Hermione took the table on the far left. As soon as  every seat was filled, Professor McGonagall returned with a tall, elderly Wizard by her side.

"I am pleased to introduce you to your new Headmaster," she said kindly. "This is Professor Veylan from the Russian  Ministry. He has consented to administer this University for the year. If any of you have any questions or concerns,  they should all be addressed to him. I shall let him speak first." She stepped aside and clapped her hands together.  The students quickly followed suit.

"Welcome, welcome!" came a feeble and weak, accented voice. "I am pleased to be named as Headmaster of the first  International University of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England. Before we begin a new year, we have our Welcome Feast.  You have all been paired up and your room assignments and class schedules will be handed out to you before you leave  this room tonight. All of your belongings will have been transferred to your new room. Feel free to move about the  Campus, but be warned, there is a midnight curfew. There are four members from different International ministries that  have been asked to serve as live-in advisors per Dormitory. And now, the feast will begin."

The students who weren't used to the Hogwarts style gasped as food and china suddenly appeared on the tables. It was  much different than Hogwarts, Harry decided as he noted several different dishes. Aura, who had dragged her friends  over to sit near Hermione, had only dished out scallops and a pilaf onto her plate before settling in. Deciding he  wanted to try a bit of everything, Harry ladeled curry onto his plate.

Loud bits of conversation began to break out, led by the girl sitting across from Aura and next to Ron. "I, for one,  cannot wait to check out this campus," she said, her Irish accent coming through strongly. "Willow," she said, turning  to the girl sitting on the other side of her, "do you want to check it out with me?"

"Sure," the girl named Willow said, swallowing a bit of chicken. "It could be fun."

Dinner ended quickly and the students rose as one entity and marched from one building and out into the courtyard.  Night had fallen and thousands of stars sparkled overhead. Most of the students walked toward their dormitories. Harry,  Ron and Hermione stopped in front of House of Summoning when they noticed Aura along with the two girls she'd sat with  at dinner moving into the courtyard and the fountain.

After making certain their things were in their room, Harry and Ron met with Hermione and the three returned to the  main building. Instead of walking straight into the Great Hall, they took one of the two large golden staircases  arching upwards towards a second balcony. Once there, they found themselves in a long golden hallway, paved with small  classrooms. Walking toward the back of the building, they noted there was a tower at the very end, stretching up  towards the sky. Large lecture halls were several floors below, behind the Great Hall. There were several large  greenhouses and gardens to the left of the tower. And, in the distance, a great golden stadium sat on the peninsula.

After making their way back to House of Summoning, they noticed that one of the Professors had been waiting. "There was  a meeting called nearly ten minutes ago," she said, ushering them forward. "On now, come on!"

Once they reached the main room, which resembled their old common room, they sat on the floor and listened as a  harried-looking woman approached them. "Welcome to House of Summoning. I am Professor Greta Punti, your new Herbology  and Horticulture instructor. I am also the Head of the House of Summoning dormitories. These two men and two women  behind me are the new hall directors that will act as Prefects of sorts to make certain you all follow House of  Summoning rules. You have all received your new schedules. When you return to your rooms now, you will find campus  maps. Classes start at eight, so plan accordingly. The lower levels of the grand tower is where the library is located.  I recommend you all start a tour there tomorrow. Now, I highly recommend you go to bed and have a pleasant night."

Harry yawned and turned to Ron, who was stretching. He stood up and extended his hand to Hermione, pulling her to her  feet. As she stood up, she noted Aura sitting on one of the leather sofas, another redhead sitting at her side. "I'm on  the seventh floor," she said with a sigh as she bustled forward. "I'm going to bed. Have a good night."

They watched as she joined Aura and the other girl and they all swept away.

Ron and Harry made their way to the fourth floor and their small dormitory room again. Once inside, Ron locked the door  and switched on the light. Harry removed his wand from his robes and undressed quickly, pulling on his bedclothes.  Lifting the schedule he'd tucked inside his pocket, he examined it more closely. "What's your earliest lesson  tomorrow?" he asked sleepily.

Ron emerged from his half of the room pulling a shirt over his head. "I think it's a Potions lecture at nine," Ron  said, taking his own schedule he'd set on top of his bed and staring at it. "And Practical Defense at eleven."

"Sounds like a good morning," Harry said, folding the paper and laying down, resting his face on his pillow. Ron walked  over and switched the lights off before returning to his own bed.

"Could be worse," Ron said sleepily as he climbed into bed. "At least there's no Snape."

And that was worth an entire week free from nightmares alone.

- - - - -

Willow woke up early the next morning. She quickly dressed, not wanting to wake up Padma Patil, her roommate. Padma was  still laying in bed, her pillow covering her head.

Grabbing a new bookbag, she stuffed in a few textbooks and collected both the map and her schedule. After one last,  hurried look around, she left, locking the door behind her.

She was one of the first people to walk into the Great Hall, which was a surprise, since it was after seven. She wasn't  surprised to see that Keira was already there. Willow joined her, reaching for a plate and a bowl of fruit.

"Good morning!" Keira said brightly as she ate a bit of porridge. "Sleep well?"

"It's amazing how much more comfortable those beds are than my own at home," Willow said with a slight frown as she  tipped a bit of vanilla creme onto her fruit before turning back to Keira.

"They are quite comfortable," Keira agreed, reaching for a pot of hot water and pouring herself a mug of tea. "I was  just amazed I got any sleep. My roommate seems to be a bit of a party girl." Her eyes suddenly lit up as she remembered  something. "Speaking of which, I ran into our old friend Malfoy last night. It seems he has a first name."

"I thought it was just one of names that's so short it sticks," Willow replied with a shrug as she accepted a mug from  Keira. "Like Madonna. Or Cher."

Keira's eyebrows knitted as she attempted to figure out who they were. "In any case, Pansy poured herself into bed  around three and apparently the girls on the floor were throwing a bit of a party."

"It makes me almost sad that I'm in House of Summoning and not in House of Conjuration," Willow teased as she began  eating her breakfast. "It's nearly seven thirty... you'd think that some students would be up and at it now, but not  really, I guess."

"I don't even have any lectures until nine," Keira said, quickly checking her schedule. "Potions, yeah."

"I'm almost tempted to see what Potions is like," Willow said, swallowing her fruit and reaching for her mug. "That and  Introductory Transfiguration at eleven."

"I have Practical Defense at eleven," Keira replied, setting her schedule aside. Glancing up, her eyes brightened when  she noticed Aura walking in, her bookbag bouncing on her shoulder. "Mornin' Aura!"

"Hello you two," she said cheerfully, sitting next to Willow. "Are you as excited as I am about this?"

"Certainly," Willow said, pushing the grapes around on her plate. She and Keira exchanged a slight smile. Aura  continued rambling as she pulled out the Potions text and began to look through it. By the time eight o'clock rolled  around, the Great Hall was crowded with students. Aura's roommate, Hermione, joined them with two boys, whom she  introduced quickly as Harry and Ron. Soon, four other boys and two other girls joined Hermione's party and Willow  decided she'd had enough.

Rising, Keira and Willow made their way toward the lecture halls, taking in the great beauty of the golden hallways  lined with moving portraits. Willow was startled at first, but it was slightly neat to see them. Once they'd reached  their lecture hall, they entered it.

It filled up slowly within the next forty minutes. By nine, every seat was full. There were exactly two hundred  students in this single hall.

Their new instructor, Professor Crieux, walked across the small stage and stood at the podium. But he wasn't alone. A  second Professor walked in behind him. He was tall and wore long black robes, which billowed as he strode out across  the wooden floor. He turned to the class and scowled.

Professor Crieux quickly introduced him in his heavy Hungarian accent. "I wish to introduce you to Severus Snape,  Professor of Potions at Hogwarts. He will be assisting me throughout the semester in teaching you the very latest in  Potions and Antidotes."

Professor Snape was sneering now, his dark eyes sweeping over the large class.

"Now, if you'll remove your textbooks, 'Potions and Antidotes of the Modern Age' and turn to Chapter 1, we shall begin  lecture. Please be sure you've read..."

As he continued, Harry began to tune him out. He was stunned that Snape had shown up. He was still standing next to the  podium, his lip curling in distate as he focused on familiar faces in the sea of students. Professor Linden Crieux was  already lecturing on the essentials of Potions creating. He noted that some of the students were staring at them with  completely blank looks on their faces. He spotted two near the front. One had short red hair and a friendly, open face.  She appeared to be copying down every word Crieux was saying. The girl next to her had dark hair that hung in her face.  She, too, was copying notes, occasionally glancing at the notes of the girl sitting next to her.

After nearly forty minutes of introduction, Professor Crieux stopped speaking and turned to Professor Snape. He started  speaking about the levels of creating Potions. In the middle row, Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Snape  continued talking even as the bell above them tolled. Finally, after five minutes of students trying to catch his  attention by shoving books in their bags, he dismissed them, but not before telling them to select a book from their  reading list and read it before next class.

Ron groaned next to him as they trudged out of class. "A whole book? Maybe Hermione's more into that, but the thought  of reading an entire book..."

From what Harry could hear of the other students, they thought the same way.

Practical Defense was next. As they made their way to another room on one of the lower levels, Hermione was staring at  her book list, attempting to decide which book to read first. "I think perhaps reading Levels of Potion Development: A  Guide to Advanced Potions would be suitable," she decided, sticking her list back in her bag. She bit her lip and  stared at a large, illuminating clock above them. "We have nearly a half hour. I'm going to run to the library and get  it."

Ron and Harry looked at each other and grinned. This was their Hermione speaking.

As soon as she left them, the two sat outside their classroom and stared at the very large textbook for Potions. They  were soon joined by the girl that had been introduced to them as Keira. With her was Pavrati Patil and Lavender Brown.  All three of them were discussing Advanced Potions and giggling madly as they sat on a bench outside the classroom.

"Hey Harry! Hey Ron!"

Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, their former fellow Gryffindors, had arrived. Both Harry and Ron  greeted the three as they joined them. Out of the three, only Neville had been in their Potions class.

The past two years had been kind to Neville. His round, friendly face was the same, but his demeanor had changed. He  was still has forgetful as ever - in fact, he showed up to Potions at least five minutes after the first bell - but he  stood straighter. His eyes were more direct and focused. And he seemed more confident.

"I can't wait to see what this class is about," Dean said enthusiastically as he sat down across from Ron. "I wish  Lupin was teaching it," he added, looking slightly put out. "I wonder who this new guy is."

"He wasn't introduced at dinner," Seamus added, looking confused. "I know, because although all the seats were filled,  no one was named as Practical Defense instructor."

"As long as it isn't Snape," Harry said, shaking his head. "It was bad enough he had to show up for Potions."

"He... teached Potions?" Seamus asked, his eyes wide.

Neville nodded. "Apparently he's just a guest speaker."

"That won't ever turn out well," Ron scowled. "Can you just imagine him taking that class over? All of us would fail."

Harry chuckled dryly. "Too bad he still has Hogwarts to worry about."

"Too bad," Seamus agreed.

"How about a game of Exploding Snap?" Ron asked suddenly, pushing the Potions text aside. The boys all agreed and  they'd soon settled into a good game.

On the bench, Keira was sitting alone, as both Parvati and Lavender had moved on to another group of giggling girls.  She watched them, almost pensively, before turning to look at five boys involved in a game on the floor. She laughed  inwardly. They weren't playing poker, at least, the game she knew anyway. This appeared to be a stranger game and when  the cards exploded, she gasped, bringing a hand to her throat.

"Where is your shadow?"

The cold voice had announced the arrival of Draco Malfoy and his usual crowd of friends. Keira's roommate, Pansy  Parkinson, held onto Draco's hand, her slightly pug face full of smug delight. Keira longed to punch it out of her, but  held back. "Who are you talking about?" she asked, trying to sound as though she hadn't the faintest idea.

"Little Red," Draco said, his eyes narrowing.

"Willow?" Keira gasped in surprise. "You know, you could actually use her name."

Draco shrugged, his attention already diverted to the five males, who were already gathering their things. The door to  the classroom had opened. Draco charged forward, ignoring Keira and running smack into Hermione, who'd been running  from the Library, her arms full of books. When they collided, the books scattered everywhere. Pansy shrieked with  laughter and kicked a few of them toward the opposite end of the hallway. Hermione appeared calm, instead of flustered  and walked over, picking them up one at a time.

Abandoning her own bag, Keira retreated down the hall and collected the last two books, returning them to Hermione. The  shorter girl seemed almost touched as she accepted them with a mild, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Keira said, collecting her bag and following her into Practical Defense.

Across campus, in a tiny classroom on one of the upper levels, Willow stepped inside her Introductory Magics class.  There were maybe twenty other students and a very grumpy looking man in long, black robes. He waved her in and  magically sealed the door behind her with his wand. "Right on time," he said, waiting for Willow to sit down before he  charged into his lecture.

"I'm Percy Weasley and I'll be your instructor for Introduction to Magic." As he continued babbling, Willow's gaze  searched the room. Even though there were maybe twenty other students, they were all paying rapt attention to the young  Professor. "I will now call roll," came his sharp voice. Willow glanced up and saw that his eyes held disapproval. She  blinked as he started calling names, a small smile on his face as though he were dying to reach hers.

As soon as he called her name, she put up a timid hand and called, "Here." He didn't do anything of the sort except  stare at her with sullen eyes before he finished calling roll. Once he set the parchment aside, he asked them to take  out their textbooks, turned around, and lifted his wand. The chalkboard was suddenly filled with instructions and their  first assignment. Willow pulled out her new homework planner and quickly jotted down the assignments before turning to  the text. He had asked they read the Introduction in silence and she wanted to do so without managing to piss him off  again.

After spending the first twenty minutes of class reading the Introduction, Professor Weasley stepped over again and  this time, he had another agenda. "Now, you know a bit about what the class will be about. It's your turn, now. I would  like each of you to tell us a little bit about yourselves. You can tell us your name, where you're from and your  experiences with magic."

Willow winced. This was his form of torture, for sure. As soon as the shy-looking boy next to her sat down, Willow  found herself rising on watery legs. "Hi, I'm Willow Rosenberg." She paused. "I'm from Sunnydale, California. My  experience with magic has been limited. I've used it to help my friends out and the biggest thing I've ever done with  it is to restore someone's soul." She sat down again. She didn't look up until Professor Weasley let them go.

"Miss Rosenberg, could I have a word?" he asked, sorting through a stack of parchment and miscellaneous folders on his  desk. He appeared to be slightly concerned and gestured at his chair for her to sit in. She sat, crossing her legs.

"You seem to be the only American in my class," he said, finally finding a folder he was looking for and opening it.  "This is actually the transcript your high school was nice enough to send over. From what I can tell, you have had no  magical experience."

"I'm a wicca, self-taught," Willow defended herself. "I may have only done a few things..."

"You restored someone's soul," Percy argued, turning to her. "And I have a letter here from Delores Umbridge saying  that she was delighted you were coming to this school. I have no right to interfere in your life, but I know what it's  like to be pulled away from anything you know."

"You don't know it like I do," Willow said, keeping her voice calm, although inside she was burning. It wasn't anger  and it really wasn't humiliation either. It was something else. Agitation maybe, or irrateness.

He glanced at her and set her file aside. "I just want you to know that if you have any problems in my class, you're  more than welcome to ask for any help. Any of the Professors are here to help. Most of the students in this class have  had Magic before. You have not. If you need any help, again--"

"--I'll come and talk to you," Willow said quickly, grabbing her bag and standing up. "Thank you. I need to go now."  The bell above them had rung.

"You probably want to get down to lunch," he said, glancing at her again. "Remember..."

"Yeah, yeah," Willow said, twirling a finger nonchalantly in the air. "I get it. Thanks, Professor Weasley."

As she walked out of the room, Percy stared after her. "Please," he called after her, "call me Percy."

- - - - -

Chapter 6 - Practical Defense.

Author's Note (7/5):

For those of you who said that Willow was written wrong, I hope this changes your mind. The only reason she was put in  as a shaky person was because I wanted to show how far she was from home. It's harder here for her because she doesn't  know anyone and she's only started being friends with others. I don't know how to really say it. Not to mention the  fact she probably feels a little inadequate at listening to others talk about their magical talents. I don't know.

I hope this was better. I promise I'll definitely try and make it better from here on out. Although I changed the names  of the Houses again, I'll be using both versions, because one is a dubbed name of another. This is how my college  actually sorted its students and since I really don't know of the British way, well... hell.


	6. Practical Defense

To the reviewers:

Percy and Willow? There's a pairing I never saw before... I can assure you that for now it's not going to happen... just  think of the scandal (gasp). I can think of a few better people for Percy... heh. Cough. As for Umbridge, that'll be  explained in a later chapter. After all, once the fall of you-know-who happened, someone was nice enough to restore her  sanity. That's all I'm going to say.

End note.

Added Note on July 10

Okay, I lied.

- - - - -

**Chapter 6**

**Practical Defense**

- - - - -

When the doors opened to their Practical Defense class, the students all clammored inside, eager to see what there was.

It was a dark room with a long, flat granite floor. There were two rows of benches wedged against one side of the room,  and in the front of the classroom, the strange shelves were filled with everything from tanks with fascinating creatures  to books on the dark arts. Hermione let out a tiny gasp and nearly dropped all of her books again.

To her surprise, Keira followed her to where Hermione was sitting next to Ron. Ron goggled at the stack of books in her  arms. "What did you do?" he asked accusingly, "check out the entire booklist?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she selected two books and handed one to each Ron and Harry. "You'll thank me when Professor  Crieux doesn't fail you," she said pleasantly.

The doors burst open and another tall figure in billowing black robes entered. A wand was pointed at the windows and  suddenly bright sunlight filled the large room.

The figure walked to them and pulled off the hooded cloak.

Their new Practical Defense instructor was a woman.

"Welcome to Practical Defense!" she shouted in a loud, brassy tone. Lifting her wand again, she pointed it at the  opposite end of the classroom. Two large racks filled the long space, full of weapons from axes to swords. "When I call  your name, claim a weapon and wait over there." She pointed, unraveling a bit of parchment. One by one, the students  crowded down on the small space, holding the heavy weapons. Once she'd finished calling the last name - Blaise Zabini -  she magicked the racks out of the room and turned to the sixty five students in her class. "Again, welcome to Practical  Defense. I am Professor Arye Gabon."

She gestured toward the floor. "How about you get into two long, equal lines. Hold your weapons at ease for now until I  explain what we're going to do."

"And what is that?" Draco asked loudly as the class shuffled into lines.

"You'll see," she replied coldly, lifting one eyebrow as she watched the students move into position. "Now. These are  four types of Muggle weapons. We have the battle axe. We have the scythe. We have the sword. And we have the double-ended  pike. In this first lesson, we're going to learn how to use each in hand-to-hand combat. You cannot begin to imagine the  choices given to you when you duel without a wand. This is what this class is all about. Oh, you can learn about  creatures of the dark from your other electives. This is the real world, the world in which Muggles and those of us with  Magic live in semi-complete harmony. So, now... you with the swords, line up facing one another. I am going to teach you  the different thrusts. Right... that's very cute, Mister... Zabini, right? Stop that now or I'll put you on Restriction."  She paused, listening to voiced protests. "All right, you're all on Restriction. And don't try fooling me with your names  since I have a very good memory.

"Those of you with swords now, try something like this." She took her own sword and whirled it neatly in her hand before  using three different jabbing motions. Those holding the swords followed the same motions. She tried a sequence of  motions and they began following that. After a few minutes, they were sparring with each other, the swords clanking  harmlessly. She'd put a painless charm on the class, so even if they nicked each other, it wouldn't be so painful.

She moved onto the group with the battle axes and scythes, demonstrating the exact way of fencing with those. Lastly, she  moved onto the group with the pikes and grinned. "This is by far my favorite weapon," she said, lifting up her own pike  and spinning it as though it were a baton back and forth easily from hand to hand. "Now. Face the person in line in front  of you and touch here and here... yes. Yes, Mister Weasley, that's good. Do it again to demonstrate for the rest of the  group... very good! And now, practice this, good! And let's try this..."

By the end of class, everyone was winded from holding the heavy weapons for so long. She finally released them ten  minutes into their lunch period and told them they should practice their motions for the next class.

"That wasn't bad," Hermione said, touching her bruised hand. Both she and Harry had taken a couple of battle axes and had  been fighting, the heavy blades tossed off one another, throwing both of their balances off. Harry knew he was going to  be bruised come morning as well, especially since Parvati Patil had accidently knocked her sword into the back of his  neck when she'd dropped it.

"It could have been worse," Ron said, pitying his ripped shirt. He seemed to be grouchy because one of his best shirts  was ruined thanks to Neville Longbottom, who'd gotten almost overenthusiastic about his pike.

The girl they'd been paired with, Keira Isley, was as inadequate as Neville when it came to the pike. He felt sorry for  him as Keira rushed after him, apologizing for giving him that black eye.

"What a lesson," Harry finally said, shaking his head.

"And we don't have it again until Thursday," Hermione said in alarm, checking her schedule.

- - - - -

Keira looked around the crowded Hall until she saw a familiar redhead sitting with a few other students. "Willow!" she  called out, happily sitting across from her new friend. Willow looked up from a textbook she was reading and smiled.

"Hey Keira!" she said. Next to Willow, Aura was also scanning Willow's text.

"What are you reading?" Keira asked both girls curiously.

"Willow's _Introduction to Magic_ textbook," Aura replied cheerfully as she took a bite of halibut. "Mmmm, this fish is  fantastic."

"I'll pass, thanks," Keira replied, wrinkling her nose as she ladled a bit of stew into a bowl. "How was that class  anyway, Willow?"

"It wasn't bad," Willow replied, finally closing the book and turning her attention to the woman talking to her. "The  Professor seems kind of... cool."

"Who do you have?" Keira asked, blowing across the top of her potato stew.

"Weasley," Willow replied with a shrug. "He seemed like he knew what he was talking about. He can't be more than a few  years older than us, too."

"Weasley," Aura replied slowly. "Weasley... what else does he teach?"

"I don't know," Willow frowned. "I couldn't tell you."

Keira glanced curiously at Aura. "What class did you have?"

"Muggle Studies," Aura replied, carefully dishing a bit of rice onto her plate. "Bloody boring, that class."

Willow shrugged. "It has to beat Potions."

At this, all three women groaned collectively, then giggled. Aura then lifted her head when she saw a familiar brunette  walking about. "Hermione!" she called, waving her roommate over.

What they didn't expect was Hermione and a large crowd of boys. Keira and Willow giggled again as Aura's jaw dropped.  "That girl has a bloody harem," she said, impressed.

"I think they all knew each other at Hogwarts," Keira said, reaching for a goblet of juice. "I think it's great they all  knew each other. And those from Hogwarts are bloody smart too. There are some others from France... or maybe somewhere  else in Europe... all great friends. It'll be hard to break into that."

"I can think of a way or two..." Aura said slowly, checking out every single guy that sat with Hermione as she took a  seat next to Keira.

"Hey, Aura!" Hermione said in a friendly voice as the five boys sat around her. "Hi... Keira?"

"And that's Willow," Keira said, gesturing to the redhead next to Aura.

"I think you guys know Ron, Harry, Neville, Dean and Seamus, right?" Hermione asked, pointing each guy out as she listed  his name. After she closed her mouth, she dished a bit of steak and kidney pie on her place and began eating at top  speed, turning to Ron and Harry to chatter.

Aura still hadn't taken her eyes off of Harry.

"I think someone has a little crush," Keira said in a sing-song voice to Willow. Aura snapped up and glanced at both  women, frowning slightly.

"I do not have a crush," she said hotly.

"Sorry, hun," Willow said, tucking her book back in her bag, "but I'll side with the Irish one on this call."

Aura pouted as Willow stood up. "Where are you off to?"

"I need to switch my books," willow explained, turning to Keira. "I'll see you in History?"

"Right," Keira said, grinning at her as Willow swept out as still more swept in. The noise soon became like that of a  rock concert, Keira noticed. Aura had joined in Hermione's conversation, leaving Keira alone. She shyly checked out the  boys with Hermione. They were rather cute, she noticed. Especially the guy Hermione had introduced as Ron. But judging by  the way that Hermione kept her hand on his elbow and the way she occasionally let her hair fall onto his shoulder, he had  already been claimed.

With a sigh, she stood up and left the Great Hall, moving into the cool, welcome air of the courtyard. What she didn't  notice was that Hermione had followed her out, arms full of books.

Spying Draco Malfoy and a few of his select others moving toward them, Keira moved to cut him off before he did something  else to hurt Hermione.

"Oh, look," Pansy said, simpering on Draco's arm as always, "it's little Isley."

"Pansy," Keira said, nodding briskly toward the other girl, but her eyes were locked on Draco's. As she walked past him,  her wand whipped out and she whispered a quick charm. The next thing Draco knew, he was spinning around since his  trousers had ripped from the hem along the waistline all the way down to the ankle. While his boxers were exposed, great  peals of laughter filled the courtyard. His angry eyes followed Keira as she moved into her own dormitory, laughing with  the rest.

"I'll get that witch if it's the last thing I do," he said, glancing down at his ruined pants. Next to him, Pansy's jaw  was dropped and she appeared to be holding in her laughter.

Keira ducked inside the doors to her dormitory, glancing around the study room, before her laughter echoed off the walls.  She collapsed, winded, into a cushy chair and giggled, staring at the ceiling.

This year was going to be so much fun, tormenting that Malfoy boy. Especially after he did those cruel things to Willow  and knocked those books out of Hermione's arms.

Standing up, she retreated to hers and Pansy's room. She knew she was going to pay dearly for what she did, but she  didn't care. She could tell Pansy wanted to laugh, but she couldn't, partly because she was afraid of what would happen  if Malfoy had heard her... and partly because, well, she was obviously enamoured by him.

She set a small stack of books down and found a few textbooks for her upcoming History class. Since it was her last  lesson of the day, she grinned and tucked her sketch pad inside her bag. After neatly tidying up her half of the room,  she walked back into the main building and set off for History of Magic.

She met Willow outside the classroom. She'd been talking to a few boys who she quickly introduced as students that  sounded as though they might be Russian, from their names and from their accents. The one named Kaz was quite adorable,  Keira noticed. The other one, Albin, just smiled shyly as the boys slipped inside their classroom. Keira held Willow back  and quickly whispered to her what she had done to Draco. When Keira pulled back, Willow was grinning.

"No way!" Willow said, her arms folding around her books. "And right in the courtyard and everything!"

"I'm good," Keira winked, brushing her fingers on the sleeve of her sweater. Willow shook her head in wonder as Keira  slipped her arm through hers and they both walked inside the classroom.

It was another lecture hall and the two found seats near the front again. Ten minutes later, their one o'clock was full  and their Professor, also a woman, swept inside. Her name was very long and complicated and also sounded Russian and for  the next hour she lectured to them about the earliest Wizards in ancient times. By the time two o'clock rolled around,  half of the students were drowsy.

When the bell tolled, everyone stood up, yawning and stretching. Willow was the only one who had appeared to stay awake  all lecture and was grinning at a notebook full of happy notes. Keira had been sleeping, her head on Willow's shoulder  and since her feet had been propped on the seat in front of her, they'd obstructed her sleeping face from view.

The two girls walked back out into the courtyard. "That was boring," Keira said, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

"Even I was bored, and I'm a nerd," Willow said as they walked to the fountain and sat down. "So, what'll you do now?"

"I have a few hours before Practical Potions," Keira replied, rolling her eyes. "I cannot believe they gave it to us at  seven!"

"I'm going to the Library to get a book off that list," Willow replied, pulling out the booklist on the bit of parchment  and staring at it. "Some of these look semi-interesting."

Before Keira could reply, a shadow fell over both girls.

It was Malfoy, and for once Pansy wasn't with him, but those giant brutes were. They were all looking menacingly at  Keira. She just sat there, staring at them, still drowsy from History of Magic.

Willow quickly jumped up and stood between them. "Now now, Draco," she said, gently pushing him away. "Don't do something  you'll both regret later."

"It's Little Red," he said, his eyes scanning over her fuzzy pink sweater and her long skirt. "I haven't seen your  walking shadow all morning!"

"Since Potions," Willow replied, crossing her arms. Keira finally came to her senses and jumped up, appearing over  Willow's shoulder.

"If you're done making your move, Malfoy, we'll be going now," she snapped, taking Willow by the arm and attempting to  pry her away.

Draco glared at her with glittering eyes. "Why so jumpy, Isley? Afraid of getting the charm knocked out of you?"

"Stop it," Willow said in a slightly cool voice. "What did she ever do to you?" Her eyes suddenly lit up as the story  Keira had told her before class came rushing back to her. "Oh."

"Yeah," Draco said coldly, "oh. Now, bugger off. You're in my light."

"In that case," Willow said, gently detaching Keira's hand and moving to stand in front of Draco again. "Make me go."

Keira sensed at once this was a bad idea. She quickly moved behind Willow, seizing the girl by the shoulders. "She's  really, very nice once you get to know her," she said with a smile of forced sugar, practically dragging Willow away.

"Why did you do that for?" Willow asked, turning to look behind her. "That was too much fun to walk away from."

"Because the last thing I need is for you to be turned into a rat or something your first day," Keira replied, lifting  her hands off Willow and brushing the girl down. "There. Good as new. So, Library, eh? Let's go."

Willow shook her head in confusion and jogged to catch up with that strange, strange Irish girl.

- - - - -

"She what?" Ron gasped, trying not to choke on his pumpkin juice as Hermione caught up with them at dinner. "I think I  like her."

"I can't believe Malfoy didn't kill her," Harry said, shaking his head in wonder. "Anyone who charms Malfoy's pants to  fall off... wow. I'll give her the first round."

"He did get what was coming to him," Hermione agreed as she propped up her Potions reading and began scanning the index  while quickly eating the chicken casserole dish she'd spooned onto her plate.

"Herm'ne," Ron protested, his mouth full of treacle as he swallowed hard, "why are you studying now? Why not study  later?"

"Potions," Hermione spat out. "Did you forget we had Practical Potions after dinner tonight?"

"Oh," said Ron, a look of dawning comprehension falling across his face, "right."

"How is that new roommate of yours?" Harry asked, steering the topic back into cooler waters.

"I like her," Hermione replied, taking another bite. "She's very chatty once you get to know her. We stayed up late last  night just talking."

"Really?" Harry asked, reaching for his goblet. "I just thought..."

His voice was cut off as he noticed a trio of women walking into the Hall together, giggling. In the middle of the group  was the girl that had been introduced to them as Willow. What he found even more strange was, when looking at the staff  table, how Percy actually looked out at the girls, as though trying to stare them down. Harry could tell that Willow was  wrapped up in whatever joke was being told because before they joined their table, all three of them were laughing hard.

Aura took her usual seat next to Hermione. To Harry's chagrin, Willow took the seat next to him. Keira sat next to her.  "Hi," Willow said, giving him a quick smile.

Harry's eyes darted to the staff table. Percy had returned to his tea and then turned to converse with Professor Crieux.

 "Hello," he said, glancing back at her.

"What's that?" she asked in a friendly voice, pointing to a dish in front of him.

"It's chicken casserole," he said, offering to put some on her plate. She consented and he ladled a round spoonful. "It's  not bad and I promise it wasn't poisoned, really."

She smiled at him. She had a cute smile. "Thanks," she said, gasping suddenly as Keira poked her in the side. Willow  prodded Keira back.

And Harry turned back to his own plate. He didn't notice that Aura was staring at him dreamily, imagining the honeymoon  and naming their children already. Grinning, she sipped her tea. Keira was talking about the Potions book they picked up  in the Library. This got Hermione talking and soon Hermione and Keira were trading notes on their respective books from  the book list. Apparently Keira was already halfway through hers since she and Willow had spent the afternoon in the  Library reading and doing their work.

And then Harry noticed something even stranger. While Keira and Willow were giggling again, he noticed that his friends  Seamus and Neville were staring at both women as though they'd never seen anything like them. It wasn't until Neville  muttered that Keira was like a long-lost twin of Hermione's did Harry realize it. Keira was exactly like Hermione in that  sense. She may not have collected every book on the book list for reading, but she could match Hermione argument for  argument. And that was something Harry knew Hermione would just have to get used to.

Those leaving for Practical Potions left ten minutes later since the walk to the top tower took awhile. There were only  thirty people in this class and soon they were let inside by Crieux. He walked inside and presented them with an easy  enough potion, a concealment. While he asked them to pair off, he did the pairing. To Harry's immense relief, he was  paired with Aura Starr, Hermione's new roommate. Hermione was paired up with a boy by the name of Kaz Rozokov. He kept  flicking newt eyes at her as she concentrated on their potion.

He was not surprised when Neville was paired with Keira Isley. He saw the look on her face as she approached the boy.  She'd looked insulted. But apparently it was a good pair since she managed to make Neville look good as Crieux, acting  probably on Snape's behalf, walked among the aisles, sneering at the large, chattering group.

Willow had been paired with Ron. They worked well together, Harry noted. And then he noticed that Aura worried more about  getting eye of newt under her fingernails than completing the Potion within their time limit. Harry gently urged her  along and she kept snapping at him in her native Greek. They must have looked like a funny pair, he realized.

To Hermione's horror, Neville's potion was the first one done. Keira looked immensely pleased with herself as she sat on  her stool and waved Professor Crieux over. Hermione's was ready less than five minutes later, with Kaz actually sleeping  on his desk, head in his arms. Professor Crieux glared at her before marking off their Potion and moving along.

Harry and Aura were among the last three groups to test their Potion. Yet Crieux looked pleased. He even grinned at Aura,  who grinned back, fluttering her eyelashes, as though acknowledging she'd done all of the work.

After class, Harry caught up with Hermione and Ron. Hermione was still seeing red over the fact that her Potion was ready  less than three minutes after Keira's. "And she was working with Neville!" Hermione complained.

Ron took her hand and whispered something into her ear. Whatever it was, it seemed to calm her down. He then talked about  how well he and Willow worked together. "She has amazing potential," Ron said.

Harry didn't really have anything kind to say about Aura except that she seemed like a total airhead.

Harry and Ron walked back into their room, Hermione following them. She didn't say anything for awhile as she sat on  Ron's bed, her legs crossed. If anything, she was acting very un-Hermione-like.

Willow walked back into her room, seeing Padma sitting at her desk, reading her History of Magic text. Padma glanced up  when Willow threw herself dramatically on her own bed. "How was Practical Potions?" she asked curiously.

"Not bad, actually," Willow said, lifting her head. "I have a cool partner."

"Who?" Padma asked, slipping a bit of parchment into her book to mark her spot and closing it.

"Ron Weasley," Willow replied, sitting up and taking off her boots, tossing them against the wall.

Padma started giggling. Willow stared at her, as though daring to ask her what. "Oh, it's really nothing," Padma said,  waving that notion aside. "I went to a dance with him once."

"I'd actually consider moving in on him if he and Hermione weren't attached to the hip," Willow said sadly, quickly  changing.

"They've been like that since their first year," Padma replied, somewhat suckily. "At first, when he asked me out, or  rather my sister told me I was going with him... well... he didn't treat me very well. He's very much into Hermione  Granger."

"I thought as much," Willow said, turning on her own desk light and dumping the last of her schoolwork onto her desk. She  seemed to think a moment before turning back to Padma. "What do you know about Percy Weasley?"

"He's one of Ron's older brothers," Padma said with a casual shrug. "But then, Ron has loads... what... five? He has a  sister, too. Percy's one of the older ones. A bit of a prat, I always thought. Very bossy, very demanding and too damn  organized for his own good..." She paused suddenly, staring at her roommate with a bit of suspicion in her eyes. "Why do  you ask?"

Willow shrugged. "He held me back after class today. I just wanted to know what he's like."

"Whoa," Padma whistled under her breath. "I never expected a nice girl like you to make a move on him."

"I won't," Willow said quickly. "I just wanted to know what he was like since I think he singled me out. And I have a  boyfriend back at home."

Padma stared at her a moment before turning back to her book. "Right," she said, sounding as though she didn't believe  her.

Willow turned back to her Introduction to Magic text and grinned. Who was she kidding? Oz was so far away and even if she  ever saw him again, would he still look at her the same way? She had been introduced to a whole new world, and that was  likely to change someone.

And Willow, whether she liked it or not, was already changing.

- - - - -

Chapter 7 - their first weekend.


	7. Midnight Duels

Author's Note:

Surprise, surprise! A Dance update. I really didn't forget about this fic! I've just been uber super busy with the other one. This is also a longer chapter to tide those of you who enjoy reading this until the next update. In other words, hopefully next week.

This is part two of a Wednesday trilogy of updates. Where Will You Go and Tragic Hero have also been updated.

- - - - -

**Chapter 7**

**Midnight**** Duels**

- - - - -

Their first week of school came to a close. Willow was starting to get used to all of the strange things happening around her. For one, Potions class.

Their second Practical lesson was wonderful enough. Willow was happy she was paired with Ron Weasley, who seemed to really know what he was doing. She was relieved he was her partner, except their working together had created some animosity between her and the Granger girl.

Keira on the other hand was still feeling incredibly insulted from being chosen to work with Neville Longbottom.

"He's insufferable!" Keira said one morning as she and Willow walked to breakfast. "He doesn't talk and when he does, it is all but a stutter! I thought that I was working with competent people in this class!"

"We could trade partners," Willow offered.

"What do you mean?" Keira asked her excitedly. "Would you be my partner, Rosenberg?"

"Me? Oh, no," Willow said nervously. "No, I was talking about switching Ron and Neville, you doofus."

"Doo-fuss?" Keira asked, her eyes clouding in confusion.

"Yeah, the thing you do when you act all strange and I get to call you names you don't understand," Willow sniggered.

Keira blushed slightly and returned to her breakfast. That, thankfully, had been the end of that conversation.

Willow wished her Introductory class would go as well as this class was going. She was thankful her Professor was nice enough to give her extended reading. She just wished she had her laptop with her. She should never have left home without it.

Draco Malfoy still hadn't forgiven Keira for her little stunt, either. In fact, he went so far as to challenge Keira in a duel. She was ready for that, too. And eager. She chose Aura as her second, for which Willow was thankful. She didn't know enough magic with a wand to be able to act as a second for anyone in a dueling situation.

The only problem was, Keira had let slip that she was going to be dueling the platinum-haired former Slytherin. Hermione was stunned beyond belief, but both Ron and Harry seemed mildly interested. Aura knew this would be her one chance to impress the boy she was rapidly developing a major crush on.

Willow thought it was a bad idea. The more she and Ron talked, the more she liked him. Hermione seemed to notice this too and cornered Willow after Muggle Studies the following afternoon.

"Hey! Willow!"

Willow paused and turned around, seeing Hermione run up behind her. She groaned inwardly. This was never a good sign. "Hi, Hermione," she greeted in what she hoped was a friendly voice.

"What is going on between you and Ron?" the other girl demanded outright. Willow was slightly taken aback by her directness. Even Oz would have been proud.

"Nothing," Willow admitted. "He's my Potions partner, Hermione. He may be a friend, too. I don't know what you think might be going on, but nothing is. I wouldn't do that to you. Or him."

Hermione just stared at the other girl a moment before offering a smile. "I'm sorry to be so suspicious," she said hastily. "I didn't mean..."

"I'm not going to try anything," willow assured her. "I still have a boyfriend back home in America."

Hermione looked mildly interested. "Really?"

"Yeah," Willow said, smiling as thoughts of Oz permeated all of the magical terms and history which had been stored in her mind. "He's a musician."

Hermione looked relieved. "Thank you for being so honest with me, Willow."

From that point on, they were on speaking terms again.

That night was the duel. Willow and Keira met up with Aura, who seemed keen on getting it over with. To Aura's delight, Harry and Ron had shown up. Draco soon entered with his usual gang and Keira rolled her eyes when she saw her own roommate hanging off of Draco, smiling smugly at the rest of the girls who threw adoring glances in their general direction.

Keira just rolled her eyes and sat down, completely ignoring the fact that her roommates boyfriend did nothing for her. Walking around like a pompous bitch wasn't going to get her anyway. Keira brightened at the thought and turned to her new redheaded friend, who just shrugged.

Willow sat uncomfortably next to Ron, well aware that their bodies were almost touching. Ever since Keira had brought it up, Willow knew that she was acting like an idiot, but she couldn't help it. He sat there with his adorable red hair and those adorable eyes, staring at her with a sort of look he should have only reserved for his girlfriend.

Willow winced. Hermione was a wicked powerful girl, she realized. That didn't need to be messed around with.

Keira was polishing her wand when Draco stepped out from his group of friends. Keira stood up lazily, with Aura walking behind her, yawning. As Keira walked forward, Draco stood face-to-face with her. After bowing to one another, they both walked in an opposite direction. Keira turned around after her third pace and lifted one arm gracefully over her head, the other arm controlling the wand with a perfected stillness. Draco stood across from her, holding the exact same position, his eyes full of loathing.

Both Aura and Draco's second stood gaping at the two.

"_Rictusempra_!" Draco shouted suddenly, a blast of light flashing from the end of his wand.

Keira was ready for him. "_Protego_!" she shouted, the spell bouncing off to the side. "You have to do better than that, Drake."

Draco's eyes narrowed maliciously, but before he could respond with the next curse, she leapt forward. "_Tarantallegra_!"

Willow couldn't help but laugh as Draco's legs were suddenly reduced to a frenzied sort of tap dance. His second stepped over, muttered "_Finite_", and the spell was lifted.

But Keira and her fans had already seen the damage done, and by looking into her smirking face, Draco felt a hatred like no other. "_Furnunculus_!" he shouted.

Keira dove out of the way, hitting the floor and rolling over as the spell missed her by mere inches. Getting back to her feet, her eyes shone with rage and her cheeks were slightly pink. She pointed toward a few chairs sitting against a far wall in the Practical Defense classroom. "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" she shouted, as the chairs lifted up. "_Waddiwasi_!"

The chairs flew and attacked Malfoy, one by one, knocking him to the floor. His second stood up and, glaring spitefully at the Irish girl standing just a few paces away, shouted "_Impedimenta_!"

Keira's feet were knocked from beneath her as she heard another voice call out, "_Petrificus Totalus_!"

Now completely frozen, Keira fell to the side, her face a blank mask of fury.

Willow leapt to her feet and ran to Keira's side as Aura stepped in, ready to take on the dueling challenge of her own. The only problem was, the curses got to the point where deuling was just flashes of light emitted from each wand, the jinxes moving fast and furious as gashes appeared on both duelers' seconds.

Willow had had enough. Using her own wicca powers, she clapped her hands and shouted, "Separate!"

Aura and the other boy, who'd had their hands about each other's throats, were drawn apart and slammed against the floor. With a satisfied smile, Willow turned back down to Keira, who had just regained consciousness. "Hey," she said softly, helping the other girl sit up. She tried to ignore Ron and Harry standing behind her, but it was difficult.

Aura crawled over to them, her face a patchwork quilt of bruises and cuts, some of them deep. "Damn, Willow... that was some spell."

"It's my own brand of magic," Willow said tensely as she stood up, offering her hand down to Keira, who gratefully took it. As she lifted the other girl, Keira started feeling light-headed and would have collapsed had Harry not been behind her. As he helped her stand back up, she tried to ignore the pointed looks and the furious glares Aura was sending to her.

"Thanks for that," Keira said, brushing off her robes and glaring across the room at Malfoy, who looked almost as bad as she did. "So, what of it, Malfoy? Did we tie?"

He nodded, his eyes still full of anger. He couldn't take it out on her, of course, not with Potter and Weasley and those other two girls standing there. "It's a truce," he said grudgingly, his mind already plotting out on how to bring down the fiesty Irish girl a notch or two.

The two groups separated. Since her room was closest, Willow ended up bringing both Aura and Keira up to her dormitory. To her horror, Harry and Ron followed, both looking concerned for Keira.

"I'm fine, really!" Keira protested after Ron had offered to bring her something for dinner. "Would you two just back off? I'd like to enjoy my Friday night if it's all the same to you."

Ron looked slightly put out and turned to the redheaded Witch who just stood there, her arms crossed. He wanted to catch her eye, but she wasn't looking at him.

Harry, however, said the thing that was on everyone's mind. "How did you do that spell?"

"Wicca," Willow replied. "I haven't really done anything that heavy before, but I knew it'd work then because I was angry... or something."

Keira looked at her friend in confusion. "I think I missed something."

"She just sort of put her hands together and said 'separate'," Ron said, mimicking Willow's movements from before.

The door opened then and Padma walked in. Looking surprised to see their tiny room full of people, she made to back out until Ron called out, "Hey, Padma!"

"Hi, Ron," she said shyly, walking back into the room. "Hi, Harry."

It was then she noticed Aura sitting there, her cuts being cleaned by her roommate. "What happened?" Padma asked in horror.

"A duel," Willow said briskly, gently wiping a bit of blood from Aura's chin, "what else? Keira had to prove her backbone to Malfoy."

"You and Draco dueled?" Padma said, her voice slightly awed as she turned to the Irish girl still sitting on Willow's bed.

"Damn right," Keira said fiercely, tucking her wand back inside her robes. "I suppose I should go back and face the music. I'm sure Pansy wants to gloat about her toy before Draco can even get two words in. Thank goodness he's never been to our room."

That said, she left. Padma left behind her, mumbling some excuse about going downstairs to the large room where supposedly a party was going on to celebrate the end of their first week.

Aura still looked slightly shaken up as Willow set the towel and the bottle of rubbing alcohol aside. "I pronounce you patched up!" Willow said cheerfully.

Aura touched her jaw and winced. There was definitely going to be swelling, and, if she didn't know any better, a large bruise. "Thanks, Wil."

"Anytime," Willow said, capping the alcohol. She waited for Harry and Ron to leave, or even Aura so the boys could follow her out, but all that existed was an awkward silence. "Well, then," she finally stammered out. "I'll be going to see Padma now. Bye."

She heard footsteps after her and turned back to see to her surprise, not Ron, but Harry. "Hi," she said again.

"Thank you for doing that," Harry said quickly, sensing her discomfort.

"Right," said Willow, making to turn around and go downstairs. Harry suddenly reached out and took her by the arm and she swung about in surprise. "You do know Aura is going to kill me because you touched me, right?"

"I can't help it she has a little crush," Harry said, smiling slightly. "But to tell you the truth, she's a bit too airheaded for me. She makes Parvati Patil look like she has a brain."

"Ouch," Willow said in a low voice, emitting a soft whistle. "Thank God she wasn't here to hear you say that. She'd be heartbroken."

Ron joined them out in the hallway, looking outraged about something. When he saw Harry holding onto Willow's arm, his eyes widened and his face turned a slight shade of red. "Oh, whoops," he said quickly, making to back away.

"Relax, Ron," Willow said, as Harry dropped his hand. "It isn't what you think. Harry was just thanking me for saving his protege's life."

Ron looked extremely confused about this, which made Willow laugh even harder. "I'll see you two later," she said, shaking her head as she walked off, small bits of laughter still coming out.

- - - - -

It was so warm in bed. Hermione refused to open her eyes because she'd have to face the fact that it was Saturday. If she closed her eyes now, she could be back in her parents' house in England during the summertime.

She heard the sound of screaming coming from the hall. Hermione's eyes flew open and she sat up just as their door burst open. It was Parvati Patil and she was very white in the face and trembling.

"What is it?" Hermione gasped, not really feeling like she wanted to deal with Parvati's hysterionics, especially since it was so early in the morning.

"Your roommate," Parvati said, her voice shaking slightly. She held open the door and Hermione let in a sharp, quick intake of breath.

"Damn it," she muttered, leaving the warmth and comfort of her bed and rushing into the hallway, where Aura Starr was sleeping against the wall, looking as though she'd been thoroughly beaten up. "What happened to her?"

"A duel," a voice said from behind them.

Both Hermione and Parvati turned to a different girl. She had long blonde hair and a cold expression on her face. "Honestly, you two! Did you not go down to the floor party last night?"

"N-No," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I was studying. Why?"

"Keira Isley dueled with Draco Malfoy," the girl replied, her eyes sparkling. "Apparently Keira knocked Malfoy twice before he pulled the paralyzing hex on her. And then their seconds got involved. You missed a great fight. Ron said that--"

"Ron went to the duel?" Hermione asked incredulously. While she knew she should trust her boyfriend with her heart, it still made her slightly jealous to know that Ron was hanging out around Keira Isley. Where Keira went, Willow was sure to follow.

Hannah Abbott walked out of her room at the far end of the hall and moved to catch up with her roommate. "Mornin', Mandy," she said, grinning at the former Ravenclaw she shared her room with. She turned her gaze to the former Gryffindors. "Good morning, Hermione, Parvati and..." Her voice died off as she saw Aura on the floor. "Crap, he must have beat her up hard."

Hermione and Parvati managed to get Aura back into their room. "She looks like she could use a nurse," Parvati said in a hushed voice, touching Aura's bruised cheek.

There was a sudden scattering of applause from the hallway. Loud voices rang out as two females walked by.

It was Willow and Keira.

"Willow!" Hermione said quickly, sticking her head outside the door.

Willow turned and tapped on Keira's arm. Keira's face was also a battery of bruises, but at least she was conscious. And smiling.

"What's going on?" Willow asked, moving so that she could talk to Hermione without being tossed about the hall.

"Aura," Hermione said, inviting both women inside.

Keira and Willow exchanged a dark look as they walked in. Willow gasped when she saw Aura's face.

"She looks worse than she did last night!" Keira said, mortified as she bent over her other new friend, prodding her. "Wake up, Aure. Come on, girl. Wake up."

Hermione rolled her eyes and picked up her wand from her desk. Aiming it at Aura's forehead, she muttered, "_Enneverate_."

Aura's eyelids fluttered open and she looked confused to see four very panic-stricken faces staring down at her. "Where am I? she asked weakly.

"On your bed," Hermione said, setting her wand down again. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts like hell," Aura moaned, lifting a pale hand and touching her head, which felt like a pole had been driven between her eyes. "Will this pain ever go away?"

Willow and Keira exchanged another concerned glance. "I'm going to go upstairs and get her some medicine," Willow finally decided, pulling away.

Keira decided to stay behind so she could explain, to the best of her knowledge, what really had happened to Aura after the dueling match the night before.

"Aura came down to the party last night," she explained quickly. "I just came because Prissy and Mal-toy had completely taken over my room. And Willow's a blast to hang out with. To make a long story short, Aura got drunk last night."

"She did?" Parvati asked in horror, staring down at the other girl, who's eyes had closed and she was once again breathing deeply.

"Not only did she get drunk, but she tried to paw herself off on Harry," Keira finished with disgust. "I think those extra bruises were from her smashing into the walls and crashing into people. Not the nicest of sorts. Wil and I managed to get her up here, but we didn't have a key and didn't want to wake you up, Hermione. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Hermione said faintly. "So... Harry and Ron were with you all night?"

Keira nodded, grinning. "You've never told us how great your boyfriend is, Hermione. He's a bloody riot! And Harry..." A soft look crossed her face. "I just feel bad for Aura," she said quietly, "because Harry clearly has a thing for someone else."

"Ron's younger sister," Hermione confessed. "They've been like that for years now."

"I don't think it was her," Keira said mildly.

Willow returned suddenly, a small shoebox in her hands. After helping Aura sit up, Hermione performed her waking charm again and Aura managed to swallow down some medicine. The chalky herbs made her shudder as she choked them down, but instantly she felt a cool rush flowing to her head and the hangover began to ebb away.

"Thanks for that," Aura said, smiling gratefully at her friend.

"You're welcome," Willow said, turning away to put the rest of the things back in the box.

"Do you guys want to tell me what happened last night?" Aura asked in a tiny voice. "I think I had a bit too much rum..."

"You tell her," Keira told Willow with a grin. "You were there all night."

Several floors up, Harry had just finished dressing when Ron walked back into their room, wearing a fluffy bathrobe and his striped pajamas. "Morning, Harry," he said with a large yawn.

"Good morning," Harry said quietly.

He couldn't believe what had happened the night before. Aura had gotten drunk easily from her currant rum, causing her to act even more brainless, if that were truly possible. After making a few successful runs around the group, she had suddenly launched herself into Harry's lap. If that wasn't bad enough, it had been in front of her two friends Willow and Keira, both looking mortified.

Willow had especially looked put out. Or ashamed.

Harry chortled loudly, turning his attention back to his Practical Defense book. He didn't know what he thought of Willow yet. He hadn't spent much time around her, but he knew he liked what he saw. After she'd come to Aura's defense at the duel the previous night, he'd been impressed with her clearheadedness.

But he also heard from someone else that she had a boyfriend and was completely dedicated to him. Actually, it was probably Padma Patil who'd said that. Padma had defended her quiet roommate on several occasions for befriending other new students instead of the old Hogwarts gang. Especially Keira Isley.

Keira was also a fiesty one to be around. She had a dark sense of humor and it had kept flashing at them all night long. She and Willow seemed so different, one a ying to the other's yang. And yet they got along well enough, he supposed.

He just had to make a point to hang around them more. Things definitely did not get dull with those two lurking about.

Ron seemed to be thinking along the same lines. He'd just finished buttoning his shirt when he frowned. "Did we make plans with Hermione today?"

Harry froze. He hadn't thought about the third member of their trio all morning, although she was his best friend and Ron's dedicated girlfriend. "I don't know. Did we?"

"Only one way to find out," Ron said, pulling on his shoes. "Let's go downstairs. If she's awake, she probably hasn't even moved towards breakfast yet. It's barely nine in the morning."

Harry and Ron made their way downstairs and saw, to their surprise, Keira and Willow sitting in Hermione's room, with Parvati Patil and Aura Starr. Aura flushed a deep shade of magenta when she saw Harry and quickly ran from the room.

Willow didn't look at him at all. She was laying on Aura's bed, her head perched on Keira's knee. They had just been talking about the party, Harry supposed, judging by the silent tears of laughter in each of their eyes.

"Seems like we had fun last night," Ron said, grinning at Harry as he dropped down next to Hermione, wrapping his arms comfortably around her shoulders. "Good morning, Sunshine!"

Hermione blushed as deeply red as his hair.

"It's been great, you all," Willow said, sitting up and stretching a bit. "Keira, want breakfast?"

"Food good," Keira said, realizing her stomach was rumbling. Both girls stood up. "Maybe we can drag Aura down with us."

"Hermione?" Harry asked, turning to his two best friends. But he noticed the look on their faces right away and reached out, shooing both Keira and Willow from the room. "They'll eat later," he said hastily. "They just want to be alone."

Behind closed doors, Hermione finally turned in Ron's arms so that she was sitting sideways, halfway facing him. "I'm glad you had fun last night," she said softly.

He kissed her gently, his lips pressing hers in the most innocent way. "I wish you'd been there."

"Really?" she asked. Maybe she had nothing to worry about after all.

"They're good people, Hermione," Ron said, pulling back slightly.

"Don't talk about Willow like that," Hermione groaned slightly, burying her face in his chest. "You'll get me all jealous."

"It's how I like you best," he said, growling as he pulled her close. "You don't have to be so insecure with me, Hermione. You know I love you, right?"

"I love you, too," she whispered, this time kissing him, pulling herself up on his lap. "And don't you ever forget it, Ronald Weasley."

In the cafeteria, Willow sat down next to Keira. "So, what do you want to do tonight?" she asked cheerfully.

"I heard there's this great lake on the other side of campus," Keira replied enthusiastically. "I sort of want to go swimming."

"Honestly?" Willow asked her, pouring them both a cup of tea.

"Honestly. I think it'd be great, Wil. And if we keep hanging out and having fun, we'd be able to wipe that mopey look off your face."

Willow frowned slightly, the sadness returning. "I guess I just miss Oz," she said softly.

At the party the night before, she'd talked about her boyfriend. Keira could tell the redheaded girl loved him deeply but the distance was starting to work against that.

"You'll be okay, right?" Keira asked gently. "I mean, there's probably a lot of guys who would just at the chance to date you, Wil."

"Name one," Willow said, arching her eyebrow slightly as she buttered a roll.

"Well, Harry, for one," Keira said softly. "I mean, if you didn't notice, he didn't exactly take his eyes off of you last night."

Willow shrugged. "I've known him for like two seconds."

"There's always Draco," Keira said in a teasing voice.

"Ew!" Willow squealed. "Don't give me those kind of nightmares!"

"Nightmares?" Harry teased as he and two other boys, including Keira's Potions partner, sat down across from them.

"She wants me to consider going out with Malfoy," Willow said, a sour look on her face as though she'd just swallowed something disgusting. "I'd rather date a vampire."

"Ooh," Keira said, her eyes wide. "A vampire, eh? Oi. That ought to take that idiot down a notch or two."

Willow just shuddered.

Across the table, Neville was telling both Harry and Seamus that he needed help with the Potions essay.

"What topic did you choose?" Keira asked, licking the back of her spoon as she reached for her tea.

"The Polyjuice potion," Neville replied miserable. "Professor Crieux made me take that."

Keira nearly choked on her tea. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, Neville... I could give you a hand. After all, we're supposed to be partners."

"Would you mind if we worked on it tomorrow?" Neville asked hopefully.

"Sure," Keira said, shrugging. "I should probably finish my essay, too." She turned back to Willow. "I guess we're going to be in the Library a fair bit, tomorrow, aren't we?"

"I don't mind," Willow said, shrugging. "I have a bit of work to get done, too."

"Great!" Keira said, turning to the three boys. "Have you lot heard anything about that lake on the other side of the pitch? I wonder if we can use it."

"One of the houses threw a party there last night," Seamus replied. "I think it's pretty safe."

"How about it, Wil? Are you ready to say 'segregated houses be damned' again?"

"I sure am," Willow said, grinning back at her.

Across the room, there was a sudden thud as Draco stood up. His eyes were on the back of Keira's dark head and the redheaded girl next to her. He walked across the room, which quieted down rapidly. Both Keira and Willow turned around, looking faintly annoyed.

"Hello, Malfoy," Keira greeted him coldly. He sneered at her, but his eyes were on the redhead next to her.

"Good morning, Little Red."

Willow didn't say anything. She just glared at him reproachfully.

"You'd better teach your new friends some manners, Potter," Draco said, smirking as he watched the little redhead squirm uncomfortably in her seat. "Ladies."

"Don't mind him!" Keira said to Willow, who had narrowed her eyes and was biting her lip. "He's just trying to get you to do something stupid again."

"Like dueling?" Hermione asked from behind them. Keira smiled at the other girl and moved closer to Willow so Hermione would have a place to sit.

"Something like that, yeah," Keira replied, reaching for her mug again. "You look awfully happy."

"I'd say you and Ron made up," Neville said quietly, smiling at her. "I think it's wonderful, Hermione."

Keira glanced at him in surprise. No matter how quiet or shy this boy was, he certainly managed to surprise her with this voiced thoughtfulness. She sipped her tea, regarding him in a new light.

Willow just finished her breakfast quickly and left, saying she had some things she wanted to do before she and Keira got together that night.

- - - - -

Harry and Ron had just finished their third game of Wizard's chess that afternoon when Neville knocked on their open door and poked his head in.

"Hey, Neville!" Ron said cheerfully, packing away his set. "Wotcher?"

"Everyone has gone bloody mad," Neville said, sitting at Harry's desk. "They keep talking about going to the lake tonight."

"I guess Keira's part is going to be big after all," Harry said, smirking slightly.

"I didn't think life after Hogwarts was going to be one big party," Neville said, his voice hushed with concern. "I mean, I-I-I don't know h-how to a-act around these kind of p-p-people."

Poor Neville, Ron thought to himself. The poor guy was probably beating himself up. "Don't worry," he told his former housemate reassuringly. "We'll be there, too."

"We will?" Harry asked quietly.

"Why not?" Ron shrugged, grinning.

"Because we probably have something better to do," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Worry not, Neville," Ron said grandly, brandishing his wand. "We are going to have fun tonight, and so will you, even if it's the last thing you ever do."

Downstairs, Willow walked into the lobby, pulling out the calling card Giles had given her. She dialed the number Oz had given her, hoping to reach his and Devon's place.

Devon picked up on the third ring. "Hello..."

"Devon? Hi! It's Willow. Can you put Oz on?"

"Willow? Damn it, it's like nine! We had an overnight gig last night!"

"I need to talk to him, Devon. Please?"

"Suit yourself. Oz! OZ!"

A moment later, Willow felt goosebumps rise on her skin as Oz's voice came on the line. "Willow!"

"Oz! Oh, my God! It's great to hear your voice!"

"Sorry about Devon. We had an all-nighter."

"That's okay, Oz..."

"I've been waiting to hear from you."

"I've been wanting to call you all week. It's been so busy here!"

"That's okay. I wanted to talk anyway."

There was something in his tone of voice that made her blood run cold. "Oz... are things still all right between us?"

"Why wouldn't they be?"

"You're using a tone."

"I am."

"Oz... what is it? Talk to me."

"It's kind of hard. You're thousands of miles away. Things are different now."

"This isn't happening..."

"Willow, I love you."

"I love you, too," she said a tear breaching the corner of her eye.

"We have to face reality, Wil. There's a good chance we won't see each other for a year."

"I'm willing to take that risk," Willow whispered.

"I'm sorry, but I can't." Willow heard him sniffle on the other line. "The Dingos just got offered a deal, Wil. We have to take it. It's what we've wanted since we started."

"Oh, Oz, that's fantastic!" she said, trying to muster enthusiasm while her heart was silently breaking.

"If you ever come back, I'll be here," Oz replied. "But for now..."

"It's just a little break," Willow said softly, afraid that she was about to start crying. "Oz..."

"I've never loved anyone more," he replied. "I just want you to know that."

The conversation continued on only a few minutes longer. Willow barely had enough energy to hang up the phone, feeling as though her old life was completely shattered and falling away.

Oz was moving on with his life. When she'd asked about Buffy and the gang, they were moving on, too. Buffy was at college. Xander was drifting from job to job. Even Giles was moving on with his life and had just bought the _Magic Box_.

The tears that had threatened overran her control and she walked over to one of the large armchairs near the stereo and sat, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees.

Suddenly the prospect of a party seemed like a terrible idea.

She had no idea someone was watching her.

"Are you okay?" a soft voice asked from across the room. Willow glanced up and saw Aura moving towards her.

"I think I just broke up with Oz," Willow said sadly. "I mean, not really breaking up, you know but... there's definite breakage." She stared at her feet and sighed heavily. "I just feel like everything I ever depended on is falling away, you know? I had this great life in California and now it's hard enough for me to remember it."

Aura sat down next to her, putting a hand on her knee. "What you need is a good doseage of fun."

"That's the last thing I need," Willow said, pouting slightly. "If all I ever had was fun, how can I punish myself for being so stupid as to think I could come halfway across the world here?"

"It's not stupid," Aura said in her Greek accent. "It's the smartest thing you've ever done, Wil. Admit it. You love it here."

"I do," Willow said, trying for a tiny smile. "It doesn't completely suck."

"Good!" Aura said, standing up. "Let's get you ready for a fun party tonight! Screw Oz... if he cared about you, he would be here with you! It's time to make you feel wanted by someone other than a certain guitarist."

Willow just shrugged and followed her, Aura's upbeat mood making her feel bemused. She didn't want to hear about her beloved like that, and it was especially ironic since Aura had just made a really bad run for Harry the night before to begin with.

"Thanks, Aura," she said quickly as Aura dragged Willow back to her dormitory.

"No problem," Aura said, pushing open Willow's door cheerfully. Padma was inside, bent over a drawing she was making. "Hello, Patil."

"Starr," Padma said, her voice slightly cool.

Willow ignored her friend and her roommate as Aura sat her down on the bed and made to rummage through the small wardrobe the two girls shared.

"What are you doing?" Padma asked.

"Willow and Oz are taking a break," Aura said, pulling herself back out of the wardrobe. "Willow's in a funk. We're going to make her have fun tonight if it's the last thing we do!"

- - - - -

To be continued, of course...

Chapter 8 - A party and studying. And Malfoy plots his revenge. All in good time...


	8. Complicated

**Chapter 8**

**Complicated**

- - - - -

"So, tell me what you think."

Willow stared at herself in the wardrobe mirror she and Padma shared. The gaze reflecting back at her was filled with disbelief and even a trace of awe. "I really look like this?" she asked, turning to her side, trying to see how the short dress Aura had managed to dig up for her managed to sparkle and sway the way it did.

"You charmed her dress?" Padma asked uncertainly. "Isn't that... bad?"

"Who cares?" Aura asked, stepping back, a hairbrush in her hand. "All I can say is, she looks good."

"I do, kinda, don't I?" Willow replied, spinning around once. "But I don't like it. Too short. Can we find something else?"

"We could spend all night trying to appease your shy little ways," Aura said with a dramatic sigh as she came up from behind Willow. "I think we're going to stick with this. My mother would be proud of it all."

Willow sighed and walked away, feeling defeated and slightly naked in only this small dress. It used to look different, she realized, her fingers brushing the material. For one thing, it had been much longer. And it hadn't been silvery. It had been white. It had also had large lilies spread across it.

She really felt odd standing there in front of her roommate and another girl, wearing nothing but a slip and feeling inadequate, especially when Aura glanced at the clock above their door and let out a bellowing squeal that could be heard six floors down. "We need to go!" she gasped, grabbing Willow's hand and dragging the smaller girl to the door. She turned around and nodded coolly at Padma. "Patil."

"Starr," Padma said, hissing the word as though it were a curse. Aura just gave her a bright smile and walked out, dragging Willow behind her.

"Aura, please, I look ridiculous," Willow said in protest as Aura dragged her over to the bank of elevators in the far corner of the corridors. "Please..."

"Oh, shut up, Willow," Aura said easily, tapping a button and dragging the other girl inside the open and waiting cage. "You look fine. We need to get out to that party, since you are one of the hostesses."

Willow was beginning to regret agreeing about hosting this thing with Keira. Although the dark-haired girl was friendly enough and all, Willow felt as though she were facing yet another uphill battle with Cordelia.

And then again, Willow thought to herself, glancing at Aura, who was impatiently tapping her foot and staring at the golden doors, maybe Cordelia could have been spread throughout all of her new friends.

The doors finally opened and Willow stepped out into a crowded room. There were quite a few students talking about this new party, she thought irritably, as Aura led her outside into the cool night air. "Over there!" she said, pointing to a lit path that somehow wound its way through their class buildings without ever going inside. Once they'd crossed the path, Willow was relieved to see Keira standing by the wall, waiting for them.

"Gee, Willow, you're looking good," Keira said appreciatively, holding the other girl out at arms-length. "You planning on playing for some of those hotties? I thought you had one of your own."

Aura gave Keira a pained look. "Willow and her musician just broke up tonight," she said in an urgent voice. "We're going to make this sourpuss have fun whether she wants it or not."

Keira turned back to Willow, surprised that she didn't see the dark look of anger or the sad look of pain in the girl's eyes. "Well, she still looks good."

Willow smiled. "Thank you, Keira."

"No problem," said Keira, gently detaching the other girl from Aura's arm and linking arms with the shorter redheaded girl. "Go off and mingle, Aura! We've got to go around and... play." Waving to Aura as though she were just a bug to shoo away, Aura, grumbling, turned and nearly collided with Harry.

"Oh... oh..." she gasped, quickly backing away and running into the swelling crowd.

Harry laughed and shook his head. Ever since last night when Aura had thrown herself at him, she'd acted graciously embarrassed and steered clear of him.

It was all right to him, anyway. His eyes suddenly brightened when two laughing girls stopped in front of him.

"Hello, Harry!" Keira said, grinning in the darkness.

"It looks nice," Harry said as Ron and Hermione joined them, both of them laughing at something Ron had done on his walk over. The lake was sparkling under the bright moonlight and already small fires were popping up and down the beach. The smell of barbequed beef was almost overwhelming at the entrance. "I'm glad you two decided to throw this... party..."

"We're the best," Keira agreed, turning to Willow, who still had a moody, depressed look on her face. "Oh, for goodness sakes, Wil! Cheer up! Here, talk to Harry. I'm going to go and get you a drink." After gently pushing Willow into Harry, she turned and disappeared back in the crowd.

Harry caught Willow before they could both get knocked over.

"I'm going to kill Keira," Willow mumbled good-naturedly as Harry helped her steady on her feet again. "Thanks, Harry."

"Anytime," he said, suddenly realizing that the quiet girl in front of him looked anything but. In a short, silvery dress that hugged her petite frame, she was actually very pretty. He realized his hand was still on her shoulder and he moved it. She glanced at him, the most curious expression in her eyes.

"Sorry," he said, following her over to one of the fires.

"It's okay," she assured him with a quick smile. "I shouldn't have come tonight, anyway."

"Why not?" Harry asked her curiously. She turned to him and he was surprised to see the amount of pain hidden behind her eyes.

"My old life is gone," Willow said sadly. "And so is Oz."

He suddenly realized where she was going with this and put a comforting hand on her back.

"Hey, mate!" Ron suddenly said, appearing at his left elbow. He was holding a large bottle, which he thrust into Harry's empty hand. "Cheers!"

Hermione walked over with Parvati and Lavender, all three of them looking around in excitement as they stood near the same fire, holding their butterbeers and talking in hushed, excited tones. Willow just stared into the flames, almost wishing they would swallow her up.

She couldn't help but feel Harry's hand rubbing her back, which felt bare underneath the silky material. As much as she hated to admit it, his touch was actually quite pleasant. It was comforting, certainly, but there was something else there, too. It was just... right...

She pulled back slightly. What was she doing? She and Oz had broken up barely two hours ago and already she was seeking comfort from a boy she barely knew. It was so un-Willow-like that even she was surprised with her actions. This was the same sort of trouble that got her and Xander into trouble... was it only last year?

Keira popped up from nowhere, a large plastic cup in her hand. "For you," she said with a giggle. "It'll make the pain go away."

But as Keira sauntered off again, Willow chose to go with her, turning and looping her arm through the other girl's. "Please don't leave me with Harry again... that was too damned awkward."

"Oh, really?" Keira asked, a bemused smirk on her face. Her eyes had suddenly fallen onto another male face, one awash in utter delight at seeing the two women making a beeline for him. "I think you've just about thrown everyone for a loop, Rosenberg. You are quite the hottie."

Willow flushed a deep red and tipped the drink into her mouth, feeling as though she had just swallowed fire. "Ugh... what is this? Poison?"

"Firewhiskey," Keira said, smirking at her new friend. She turned to greet the next few people who were walking underneath the banner at the entrance to the park at the beach. "Oh, Malfoy, how utterly undelighted I am to see you."

Draco wasn't looking at her. He was looking at Willow, who managed to crawl out of the closet and amaze him with her simple beauty. Tonight, she looked, there was no other word for it, beautiful.

"Hello, Little Red," he said appreciatively, letting his shoulder gently nudge hers as he stalked past. She turned and glared at him, her eyes willing him to suffer under her unwavering gaze.

"Malfoy," she spat out. He had been looking at her in the most unwelcome fashion, as though he were undressing her with his eyes. It was humiliating, especially coming from him. It was Malfoy, to begin with. Keira was glaring after him, too.

"I don't remember inviting him," she muttered darkly, as she and Willow walked back towards a large bamboo tiki table full of plastic cups and glass bottles. "I suppose he came with my roommate."

"You invited Pansy?" Willow asked in disbelief as she risked another sip of her sharp beverage. "Oh, Keira... you gave me a fire drink? No wonder I feel like my stomach is going to burn through my skin."

"It's alcohol, sweetie," Keira said with a relishing smile as she picked up her own plastic cup.

"So, what now?" Willow asked, trying to calm her nerves with another sip of the liquid.

"I want to go swimming," Keira said innocently, grabbing Willow's hand and dragging her across the groups of people dancing, singing, talking and laughing around the fires. As soon as they reached the water's edge, Willow was surprised to see how enticing it looked, sparkling underneath the light of a full moon.

She gulped suddenly, realizing where Oz truly was going to be tonight. Locked in a cage. Far away where she couldn't lend her support. It wasn't as though he wanted her support anymore, anyway... she took a deep breath as a single tear traced down her cheek.

"Hey, Wil," Keira said, gently. "You don't have to go in if you don't want to."

"No, no," Willow said, shaking her head and setting her drink in the sand. "It's just that... no bathing suit is sort of an issue."

"Who says you need one of those?" Keira asked with a challenging grin. "Besides, I brought some towels down. Now... let's strip."

Willow turned bright red. They were still in view of those closest to the lake. "You want me to get naked?"

"No, you doo-fus," Keira replied in her taunting Irish voice. "Just down to the lingerie, you know?"

Willow was still blushing as she unzipped her dress and stepped out of it, staring at her pale pink lingerie in the deep moonlight. Keira turned to her with a smile, also wearing colors that seemed to glow in the dark.

In seconds, they were immersed in the cool, relaxing water. "This is so much better," Keira groaned, dipping her head underneath the surface before lifting it back out, her long dark hair flying back, the water droplets catching the moonlight.

Willow just laid on her back, enjoying the calming sensation. The lake was cool, but it was a refreshing cool. The firewhiskey inside of her was inspiring her rebellious side. She stood up suddenly, finding herself in waist-high water. Lifting her hand, she splashed a perfect arc of water to the other girl, standing eight feet away and running her hands through her water-soaked hair.

"Hey!" Keira shrieked back, splashing the redheaded girl back.

The two were soon a foot away from each other, their hands entwined, fighting control, waiting to see which one would tip in the water first. Willow finally gave up and found herself falling backwards into the blissful water.

Their shrieking and yelping was attracting a lot of attention from the shoreline. Harry, Ron and Hermione jogged down to the edge of the water. It wasn't until Aura saw the two girls wrestling in the water did she finally call out, "Hey Willow, Keira! Wave to your fans!"

Willow turned an even brighter shade of red as she sat down in the water, the lake swishing up to her neck. She certainly didn't want to be put on public display in her underwear. She noticed that Keira had done the same thing, since dozens of eyes were staring at them.

"Keira," Willow said in a slight sing-song voice. "What are we going to do?"

"You're the magic Wicca, Wil," Keira said with an evil grin, her eyes shining in the moonlight. "Give them a show."

Willow pressed her hands to the surface of the water, her own evil thoughts catching up with her. "Oh, right," she whispered. "And I'm supposed to be powerful enough to do this?"

"Just use your imagination," Keira said, grinning.

Willow just shook her head and began stirring the water with her hands. She felt it bubble underneath her fingertips and enjoyed the sensation. But she knew she didn't have the power to spray all of the people staring at her. Luckily, she didn't have to worry about it. A wand was lit and there was an incantation whispered.

Willow and Keira both swam away from shore as a large jet of water sprayed out at everyone standing and gawking.

Keira let out a huge laugh as both girls stopped, now in way over their heads. "Nice one, Wil."

"It wasn't me," Willow said, giggling.

Aura was grinning at her two friends from shore, dripping with water as she pocketed her wand. "They'll thank me later," she said, sounding pleasantly amused.

This was all the time that Keira and Willow needed to swim back to shore and collect their things.

"Keira, it's freezing," Willow said, her teeth chattering.

Wand back in hand, Keira lifted it and aimed it towards a stack of towels sitting on a rock a few feet away. "Accio towels!" she said.

The towels flew into her outstretched arms. Handing one to Willow, the two wrapped themselves up, feeling more comfortable. "That better?" Keira asked as Aura joined them, looking delighted.

"A swim? You two are insane!" she said, grinning at her two friends, who both returned a drained smile.

"We'll just be collecting our clothes and leaving--" Willow's voice fell away as she noticed someone standing at the spot where she and Keira had left their clothing.

It was Draco. He was holding their dresses in an outstretched hand, a new bonfire glowing brightly beside him.

"Well, well, well," he said lazily, looking both Willow and Keira up and down. "This is definitely I sight I never once expected to see... two of the prettiest ones nearly naked..."

Willow tightened her hand over the front of her towel, her cheeks blazing in embarrassment. But Keira refused to back down, lifting her wand again. "Give us back our clothes, ferret," she hissed.

"All right," he said, but instead of handing them forward, he turned and threw both dresses unceremoniously into the fire.

"What?" Willow gasped, rushing forward, but Draco's arms easily caught her as she lunged. "Let me go, damn it!"

Keira's wand was trembling in her shaking hand, her eyes wide as she watched both dresses burn in the fire. "You are asking for a bloody death wish, aren't you, Malfoy?" she sneered.

Willow shoved the other boy away and held her towel to herself, lifting her chin defiantly, as though daring Malfoy to try anything else.

"What's going on here?" a crisp male voice asked. Willow felt her face burning even hotter as Harry walked over, his eyes on the fire, where two garments were now fading away into ashes. "Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

"Knitting a scarf," Draco replied maliciously, taking in the look Harry had given Willow, who was still trembling, red-faced, standing in her underwear, wrapped in a wet towel. He could tell she was freezing, because her lips were trembling and her teeth were chattering so loudly he could hear them over the dull roar of the fire next to him. "What's it to you?"

"Leave them alone," Ron said, walking up to Keira and Willow, his eyes full of concern as he saw his Potions partner trembling. "Are you all right, Willow?"

"J-Just c-c-cold," she said, forcing a smile through lips that were starting to turn blue from the numbness.

"You're a bastard, Malfoy," said Hermione, followed by Dean, Seamus and Neville, all who were carrying large, fluffy blue blankets. "Leave them alone. What did they ever do to you?"

"I just like to call it something along the lines of revenge," Malfoy said lazily, fingering his wand as he turned his back, walking away from the group. "Until another day, Isley..."

Keira resisted the urge to curse him and nearly jumped when she felt a warm blanket cover her shoulders. "Oh... thanks," she said, not even bothering to look at who had covered her up. Her eyes were on Willow and she suddenly felt ashamed. Just because she was bold and arrogant didn't mean her new friend had to follow her ways. Frowning slightly, Keira pushed Harry away from Willow and wrapped the second end of her blanket over Willow's shoulders. "Let's go up to that abandoned fire up there, eh?"

She and Willow walked away together. Willow was still shivering.

An hour later, Willow was wrapped in her own blanket, staring dully at the fire. The sand felt warm beneath her feet and although she was dressed solely in her underwear, she felt warm and sleepy. The firewhiskey, whatever three little sips could have done, had made her feel sleepy and stupid.

Keira was sitting next to her, her shiny black head resting on Willow's shoulder. "Some party, eh?"

"It had its merits," Willow admitted. "I actually had fun tonight."

Keira lifted her head and turned to her friend. "You did?"

"I never would have gone swimming in my panties before," Willow said, smirking, "had you not egged me on. That and being trapped by dozens of party people. It was definitely a night to remember... but..."

"But what?" Keira asked, dropping her head back on Willow's should again and failing to stifle a huge yawn.

"It's getting complicated," Willow replied sadly. "I mean, I have all of these complex feelings for Oz... and yet..."

"I think Little Red has a crush," Keira said in a soft sing-song voice.

"You're probably right," Willow said, managing a weak smile. "But right now, Little Red wants her bed. Hey, that rhymed!"

An hour later, the two party hostesses were being walked back to their respective houses. Keira was more than willing to camp out at Willow's, but Hermione nixed the idea the instant Pansy Parkinson and the rest of her crowd of giggling, intoxicated girls swarmed up and claimed her. After gently passing Willow to Padma Patil, Hermione said good night and hurried away.

"Are you sure you have her?" Harry asked Padma in concern as they entered their dormitory and walked straight for the elevators.

"I have my own roommate, Potter," Padma said in a teasing voice as they waited in the corridors. Willow looked absolutely exhausted. She was tired of moping and feeling sorry for herself over the distance separating her and Oz. She was tired of feeling angry because her friends had moved on with their lives. She was an independent girl, too. It was her turn to move on with her own life, and she intended to.

But maybe, perhaps, what bothered her most of all was the hand still resting on the small of her back. Harry had put it there five minutes earlier and he hadn't moved it once. What was she to him? Just some sort of nameless possession? Casting him a cool look, she stepped into the elevator, stumbling forward as Padma gently took her by the shoulders to steady her.

"Do you want me to come up with you?" Harry asked, seeing that there really wasn't anyone else around to help her out. Padma just gave him a small smile.

"Just help me make sure she gets into bed all right," Padma decided with a small sigh.

Willow's knees chose that particular moment to give out. Collapsing forward, Harry caught her easily.

"Hey, now," he said as she fumbled to stand up, only causing her to fall deeper. "Easy, Willow, easy..."

He wrapped an arm around her waist. Immediately, the bells inside her head went off. She had the distinct feeling that something was there that shouldn't be. As the golden doors parted again, Willow found her body moving towards their room, but her feet weren't moving. It was then she realized she was being carried.

Padma unlocked the door and switched on the light, Harry walking in behind her, carrying a drained Willow. As he set her down, the blanket parted, showing off the damn lingerie from her stunt earlier. "Will you be all right?" he asked Padma in concern.

"I'll get her in bed," Padma assured him. "Besides, Lavender and Parvati will be up momentarily. You should probably get back to the party. Your trio is awaiting you."

Harry grinned down at Willow, who appeared to be sleeping. "I'll do just that." After saying good night to Padma Patil, he left the girls behind, but he didn't return to the party.

Instead, he found himself walking back towards the elevator and going towards his own dorm room. Thoughts were swimming through his head.

For some odd reason, they kept falling back on the shy American girl known as Willow. She was on his mind a lot lately, since they'd been running into each other at the strangest of places.

She was definitely the most unique girl he had ever met. Anyone who could pull a stunt like swimming in their lingerie with Keira Isley had to be a fun girl. Willow really was unlike anyone he knew.

Before he realized what he was doing, he started laughing. Here he was, thinking about some girl he barely knew.

And yet it mattered to him.

He just wished he knew why.

- - - - -

It was just after noon on Sunday when Keira and Willow arrived at lunch. Both looked a little tired, but they were smiling and eating all the same. Harry looked down the table and smiled when he saw that Willow was wearing a pink ensemble today that highlighted her meeker features.

Of course, he hadn't resisted seeing her in nothing more than her underwear the night before...

He flushed slightly and gave a little start as Ron asked him to pass the bowl of steamed vegetables to his left. Harry reached over and took the bowl, feeling slightly embarrassed. Handing the bowl to his best friend, Ron noticed that Harry looked slightly pink. He began to wonder if it had anything to do with the adoring looks Aura Starr was giving them. Or the casual glances Keira Isley was throwing towards him, her smile bright and airy.

Willow had been carefully avoiding his gaze all morning.

"You really should talk to him," Keira said as the two were leaving the Hall and walking towards the library. "It'll get all this complicated crap out of the way."

"And what exactly would I say to him?" Willow asked interestedly. "Hey, Harry, thanks for carrying me last night. I hope you got a good view of me nearly naked! That's just asking to be humiliated to death, Keira! No, thank you! Besides," she said, her gaze falling on a certain boy making a beeline for them. "I think we have enough trouble to be getting along with."

Keira bristled next to her as Malfoy approached. For once, he was alone.

"Isley," he said, smirking at her in greeting. His gaze softened as he noticed Willow. "Little Red. It's good to know you guys put on clothes. It was quite the show for us to see you two--"

"That's enough, Malfoy," Keira snapped, drawing out her wand. His eyes wavered slightly when he saw her outstretched arm, yet he said nothing. "That's a good little ferret. Besides, you should be afraid of my arm. It gave you that black eye."

Draco muttered something under his breath as he touched his blackened eye. Willow hadn't seen it before and gave her friend a startled expression as she reached forward and touched his face. He recoiled instantly, but she latched onto his wrist and pulled him closer. "Don't be such a baby," she said in a quiet voice as her fingers probed the bruised skin. "Keir, how did this happen?"

"I punched him last night," Keira replied good-naturedly. "Not that he didn't deserve it."

They exchanged a look of pure loathing, but Draco was slightly put out by the fact that Willow was still touching his face. She finally pulled back and gave him a tense smile.

"You did kind of deserve it, Malfoy, for burning our clothes last night," she said with an apologetic sort of smile.

As Keira and Willow hustled away, his fingers brushed the spot where she'd touched him. Willow had actually touched him. Her eyes had been full of concern and pity and, could it be, interest?

No. Not Willow, the walking, talking shadow of Keira Isley, a girl who was known to be a thorn in his side.

"Hey, mate," a voice said from behind him. It was Blaise Zabini along with another student known only to them as Leo. Both were carrying an armload of books and glaring off after Keira and Willow. "If I didn't know you any better, Draco, I'd say that you were staring at Little Red."

"Maybe I was," Draco smirked, glancing at his two friends. Blaise and Leo lived across the hall from him and Theodore Nott. "I mean, look at her. She is quite the looker."

"So is Isley," Leo said, brushing a bit of fair hair from his eyes as he stared after her with a hint of longing.

"Oh, please," Blaise said with a hard chuckle. "The only thing Isley has going for her now is her brains. Otherwise she'd be as dull as Crabbe and Goyle!"

"Do you realize we still owe her one?" Draco asked them softly, pulling them away from a group of giggling girls as they passed back towards the dormitory houses. "I was beginning to think it'd be a fantastic idea if--"

"Draco! There you are!"

He groaned visibly as Pansy and her own crowd of clones joined them. She took his arm in a pincher-like grip and smiled prettily up at him. "What is it, sweetie? You look upset!"

"Oh, right," he growled, his fingers touching his black eye again. "As if I don't have a reason to be..." But in his mind, a plan was formulating. So Keira and Willow were turning into a stunty group, right? He was starting to form a plan that would being Keira Isley down a notch and perhaps give him the one thing he had just felt when Little Red had touched him. It had been a shadow of electricity when her fingers had come into contact with his skin. That was why he had pushed himself away.

But, the thing was, he liked it when she had touched him. It had felt a lot different than Pansy's prods, which were almost insensitive and uncaring. Just like Pansy herself.

But Willow was something different. Although she hung out with the likes of Harry Potter and Isley, she still had a side he hadn't seen coming. She had, after all, gone into the lake with a crowd of onlookers with Isley, had she not?

Things were going to get very interesting around here once Draco Malfoy was back where he belonged.

- - - - -

"This is useless!" Keira snapped, pushing her book away from her angrily. There was a chorus of "Shhh!" and "Will you shut up?" from around her and gazing apologetically at Neville Longbottom across from her, she pulled her book back to her and stared down at it.

"Can you take a go from here?" she asked him hopefully as he glanced up from his notes again, his shy eyes meeting hers.

"You can relax you know," he said softly. "I'm not going to pull anything."

"It's them I'm worried about," Keira hissed, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. Neville followed the gesture, his face barely registering surprise when he noticed that Pansy Parkinson and her own group of girls were gossiping and giggling three tables back. And they kept throwing Keira a scathing look.

"I don't think Malfoy was too happy about his black eye," Neville said quietly, trying to see her reaction. To his surprise, she smiled at him.

"He deserved it though, didn't he?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

Neville certainly believed he had. He had been the one to cover Keira with the blanket the night before, watching his Potions partner shiver in her towel, her lingerie clearly visible through the bright blue material. She hadn't noticed him, but then again, her focus had been on Willow.

He could tell her focus was still lingering. He frowned as he saw the look in Keira's eyes.

"Neville," she said, leaning over the table towards him, "do you think there is something going on between Willow and Harry?"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "N-No," he managed to stutter out, hoping against hopes he didn't sound too stunned by her question. "Why do you ask?"

"I think he likes her," Keira said bluntly. "I saw it in his eyes last night when she and I were, well, you saw us. Indisposed."

"Did you get back to your room all right?"

"Oh, sure," Keira said with a dark smile. "Pansy got me to our floor. I punched Malfoy. He spent the night in our room with her. They made noises I didn't think animals like them could make. And then I got up early and went to find Willow. Honestly, I think I'm going to just..." Her voice dropped off. Was she actually carrying on a conversation with Neville Longbottom?

"What are you going to just do?" Neville asked her, setting his quill down.

"Move in with Wil," Keira said, uncapping her water bottle and taking a long, refreshing sip. "I honestly cannot stand Pansy Parkinson, and the fact that Malfoy is in our room half of the time doesn't help anything. I can't stand him. He's such a--"

"He's an arrogant, self-important git with a pole shoved six inches too far up his pale arse?" Neville offered, a smile forming around his lips.

She really was in an actual conversation with Neville Longbottom, she realized happily. The boy could do more than stutter and cast her fearful glances, especially when her temper was high.

"You got it," she said, offering him her first genuine smile. "But let's not spoil our afternoon. Let's finish your report before Professor Crieux has both of our heads."

"Let's," Neville said happily, returning to his report. For some odd reason, he was feeling much better.

Across the library, Willow had dropped down in a small corner, curling her legs beneath her as she lifted the heavy Introduction to Magic textbook and began reading carefully, only pausing to take notes down on a large, four-inch-high stack of parchment on the table in front of her.

A shadow fell across her body an hour later and she looked up to see her own Potions partner, Ron Weasley, standing there. "Um, hi," he said, dropping into the single chair across from her. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," she said, moving her feet from where they'd been perched on the lower rung of the chair across from her and pushing her books into a haphazard pile. "What's up?"

Ron looked thoroughly confused by her question. Smirking, Willow said, "I meant to say, what's going on?"

"Oh," Ron said, catching on. "I just wanted to let you know our first Practical Potions experiment is being graded by none other than Professor Snape."

"Someone you don't really like, I wager," Willow said, carefully numbering her pages as she stacked them inside her folder, which was little more than two pieces of cardboard held together with string. "What's our first critiqued potion going to be?"

"Well, a pepper-up unction," Ron replied hastily, "but that isn't the point. Our second potion to be critiqued will be Veritaserum."

Willow had just read about that and frowned immediately. "I'd say we have some work ahead of us, Mister Weasley," she said, giving him an encouraging smile, one he was only too happy to return. "I would love to stay and chat," she continued, gesturing toward her work still spread messily across the table, "but I really want to finish reading these last one hundred pages."

"If you want to catch up, you should ask Hermione," Ron offered. "She is the smartest witch from Hogwarts."

"Or I could ask Keira," Willow said, lifting an eyebrow. "Since I know her a lot better than I know Granger. Besides, I barely know your girlfriend."

Ron turned pink and didn't say anything for a moment. Leaning across the table, she put her hand over his. "It's okay, Ron, really. I'll ask Hermione about it at dinner tonight, all right? Will that get you off my back about studying? I have your brother and he's nearly thrice the headache I could imagine!"

"Well," Ron said, stretching as he stood up. "I'll tell Hermione. She'll be so excited." He said goodbye and drifted back into the throngs of people still mulling around the library.

Shaking her head, Willow turned back to the book she was reading, unaware that twenty feet away, a pair of silvery eyes was following her every movement.

- - - - -

Chapter 9... Back to Potions, Magic and Practical Defense. And, introducing another Wizarding Sport!

Ah! The soap opera continues! I really love how light and fluffy this fic is compared to my others. I think it's been getting better since I jumbled up the first few chapters.

I have decided on a few pairings, surprisingly. I want this fic to be a happy, fluffy romantic weird story. Ron/Hermione has always been my number one HP 'ship. And yes, as you can see, they're still a couple in this fic. Willow and Oz have broken up, but it isn't the end of them, not by a longshot. And while I REALLY don't want this to be turned into a soap opera, well... I can't guarantee there won't be any love triangles, since there is a beautiful one just shaping up. I think you all know of which I speak. There is another one that was just starting to be hinted at here.

I'll slowly be introducing more AU OCs because they're fun. I love Keira. She reminds me of Buffy with all of Faith's daring. I am FOREVER grateful to Char for even suggesting I use her. I had loads of OCs I could have used for this fic. She suggested Keira would be a good friend and potentially best friend material for Willow. Aura is one of those Harmony-like characters thrown in for show. I also love her to bits. Leo and Darien are also males who are going to be added into the story. Another female will be introduced, too. She will be one of Pansy's gang.

And, as a note, Blaise Zabini is male in this story. It just fits this way.

So, in retrospect, I'm having a blast with this story. It's harder to write since my thoughts are more unfocused, yet it's as though the characters are jumping onto the page and writing themselves. I love writing late at night at work near the window so I can listen to the sounds of both sirens and coyotes. The only pairing you can probably see so far is Ron/Hermione. Willow will get paired with someone, and I think this chapter hinted towards it. Harry/Aura will never happen. It's about as good as having Xander/Harmony get together, so you know it won't happen. I might get sympathetic towards her and pair her up with someone though.

The next two chapters promise to have angst, drama and romance in them. Couples are born, friends are made, lifelong enemies are trying to tear each other's hair out and classes are taught! Who said California was the only place for our little Willow to have fun?

I would love to see reviews, especially from those who have been reading from the beginning. I'd like to know if the story has improved at all! So, if you review, I'll grant you a wish of some sort, as long as its within this fanfiction spheredom. Hell, I'll even write a fic of choice. It'll give me something fun to do at night when I work!


	9. Tangles and Trysts

**Chapter 9**

**Tangles and Trysts**

x.0.x.0.x

Keira had just fallen asleep when a peal of laughter fell across her half of the room. With a groan, she opened one eye, trying desperately to ignore the sounds on the bed right next to hers.

"God, Pansy, for the love of Zeus, it's three in the morning!" Keira groaned, rolling over onto her back.

Pansy started giggling, but the subsequent male laughter following didn't belong to Draco Malfoy. Now fully awake, she saw Pansy and some other guy that Keira didn't know buried under Pansy's bright green satin sheets.

"I don't want to know," Keira pouted, rolling back over onto her side, listening to both Pansy and her mate guffaw stupidly.

The following day she was going to find an empty room, someplace far away from Pansy and her middle-of-the-night guests. She wished she could share Willow's room, but Padma Patil wasn't on very good terms with Keira, probably because she associated herself with what the rest of the girls on Willow's floor were calling the "pureblood cult".

But also in her mind was where a certain blonde-haired boy was. Her eyes flew back open. It was no use. She wasn't about to get any sleep before Potions and Practical Defense the next day with all of this racket going on in the bed next to her. Grabbing her blanket and her pillow, she shuffled unnoticed from the room and down the hallway lit by wall sconces the shape of serpents. When she reached the study room, she settled on the most comfortable emerald green leather sofa and closed her eyes, inhaling the sweet scent of leather.

Now that she was far away from the giggling couple, her thoughts turned back to Draco. Where was he if Pansy was with some unknown in her bed? Draco seemed to be pretty protective of things that were his, and Pansy was more than likely one of those things.

At dinner that night, she had caught him looking at her with the strangest expression on his face. Maybe that's because he had been throwing her angry looks all day when she'd been studying with Neville Longbottom. But she didn't see his gaze shift slowly to the redheaded girl on her right side, eating away happily and chattering with Harry about the essentials of Wiccan magic.

No, she hadn't seen his look at all. It was a soft, almost pensive look. It was arrogant, because that was who he was. His gaze darkened when he saw the look on Harry's face.

Well, well, he thought to himself with a smug smile. Harry looked as though he may potentially be smitten by Little Red.

At three in the morning, Draco was sound asleep in his own bed, without a care about Pansy or anything, really. He was, however, following a certain redheaded girl through a library and was getting quite annoyed that she was always two rows ahead of him. He was calling her name, but she never once acknowledged him.

"Willow," he muttered in his sleep, not realizing he was talking out loud, calling her name.

Willow wasn't sleeping, however. She was down in the empty study room, on the telephone, her fingers tapping anxiously on the side of the metal face. She was hoping to reach Buffy, but so far there had been no answers. Joyce Summers had given Willow the number for Buffy's dorm room, but Buffy's machine picked it up there.

"Hi, you have reached Buffy and Tara... we're not in right now..."

Angrily, Willow slammed the receiver down and rested her forehead against the cool surface of the phone booth before pulling away. She had to talk to someone, preferably her best friend. She needed Buffy at that very moment.

She turned and the floorboards creaked behind her. "Who's there?" she whispered.

"It's me," came a sleepy female voice. Willow turned and smiled with relief as she saw Hermione Granger. There had been someone in the study room after all, in a hidden chair tucked in the corner. The girl set down her enormous textbook and frowned when she saw the look on Willow's face. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just wanted to talk to my best friend," Willow said stubbornly, falling onto the floor near Hermione's chair. "And... I'm sorry. I didn't realize anyone was still up. If I'm bothering you..."

"Oh, no," Hermione said, replacing her book inside her bag. "I'm sorry. I should have said something sooner, but you looked so worried."

"I am worried," Willow confessed. "I miss Buffy, my best friend. I mean, Keira is great and all, but she's not..." Her voice caught in her throat and she looked away before standing up. "I think I'm going to go to bed."

Before Willow could walk away, however, Hermione called after her, "He likes you, you know."

Willow froze and glanced back at Hermione over her shoulder. "Who does?" She was half-afraid Hermione was going to say Ron, but Hermione just gave her a placid, knowing smile and stood up, dragging her book bag with her.

"He'll tell you when he's ready," she said quietly, touching the other girl on the shoulder. Willow felt slightly comforted and even more apprehensive at Hermione's words.

"I... I guess," Willow said, hurrying to catch up with the other girl, who was making a swift beeline for the bank of elevators at the far end of the building. "Hermione, you don't have to keep me in suspense."

"It's not my business," Hermione replied, tapping the arrow on the keypad and waiting for the golden doors to open.

"Hermione, it's three in the morning," Willow replied, massaging her temples as she entered the elevator behind the other girl. "Just tell me if it's Harry or not, because I'm starting to get that impression."

Hermione nodded.

"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up," Willow said cheerfully as the doors opened up onto the third floor and Willow walked out. "Good night, Hermione."

"Good night, Willow," Hermione echoed as the doors closed in front of her.

Harry had come to her that evening, looking troubled over something. When she finally asked him about it, he'd said that he was having strange feelings for someone. It took Hermione just one guess to figure out who it was.

"She's just so different from the rest of us," Harry had said, shaking his head.

Yes, Hermione smiled. Willow was different. She was part of a group of students who felt like a breath of fresh air from the same old, same old. She would have made a great Gryffindor. Or even Ravenclaw. It was almost laughable to see the friendly redhead in Slytherin, but since she hung around with Keira, whose temper was always on a short leash, Hermione wasn't certain.

She unlocked her room and walked inside, seeing Aura sound asleep, hugging a small, fluffy pink bunny. So, the spitfire had a little bit of a soft side after all, Hermione reckoned, grinning as she changed into her nightgown. It made Aura seem more real somehow.

Aura had been sharing with Hermione a lot about her feelings for Harry. Hermione was starting to see Aura's feelings more different than those of someone else's, say, Willow's. Aura was attracted to his popularity, not his personality. It was something Harry had obviously noticed, not that Aura didn't try though. She had been attempting to engage Harry in conversation all throughout dinner. But he'd been completely wrapped up in a discussion of Wiccan magic with Willow, who was only too happy to talk more about her skills.

The next morning came far too soon for many of the students. Willow was one of the first people to enter the Great Hall and walk over to a table. There were maybe a round dozen other students enjoying breakfast, but there really weren't any people she recognized, unless you counted Blaise Zabini and that Leo person, which Willow certainly did not.

Yet as soon as she sat, they got up and walked over to her. Willow swallowed her cereal nervously and attempted a short smile. "Hi," she greeted rather unenthusiastically. While she wanted to make friends with all of these nice people, it was something else to make friends with those of Draco Malfoy, whom Keira had already made her nemesis.

"What's going on?" Blaise asked her cheerfully, swinging one leg over the bench and sitting down on her left side. Leo just smirked at her and sat down across from Blaise, throwing her a smug smile.

"Uh, breakfast, eating it," Willow replied, feeling even more confused. Why were these prats sitting with her? And where was Keira? They always met early before Potions with Professor Crieux to discuss them. "Um... what are you doing here?"

"Eating breakfast," Leo said in his accented voice as he bent over, tipped eggs onto his plate.

"But you were eating breakfast over there," Willow said slowly, gesturing towards the table on the far end of the room.

"I hate to break it to you, Leo, but it looks like Little Red here is a bit uncomfortable with our fellowship," Blaise said, immediately picked up on Willow's reluctance to act friendly.

"No, no, wait... I'm sorry," Willow said as both boys turned to her, smirking. "I just had a late night and all... I'm sorry for being such an antisocial, err..."

"Bitch?" Blaise suggested lightly, arching one eyebrow as he sat back down. "I wouldn't say you've gone that far, but--"

Whatever he was about to say, it was cut off by Keira's sharp, "What do you two think you're doing?"

"Isley," Leo said, sneering at the dark-haired girl who glared at both him and Blaise. "We're eating breakfast."

"With Willow?" she asked archly. Blaise turned around to smirk up at Keira and was stunned to see how angry she really looked. "Wil, I have to say, you surprised me. I never pegged you the type to hang out with these horrors from Conjuration."

"Hey, now," Blaise said, his eyes darkening in anger. "What have we ever done to you?"

"How would you like me to answer that?" Keira asked, raising her fist and taking a step towards him.

"Whoa, okay, I can see that your hormones are a little rampant, dear," Willow said, jumping to her feet and pulling Keira away from Blaise, who had tensed, his own grey eyes dark with anger. "Keira, go outside."

"You're not the keeper of me," Keira retorted, trying to pull herself out of Willow's strong grip. "Besides, I haven't eaten."

Blaise, smirking, handed Willow a napkin with a stack of toast with jam. Keira's eyes widened as she turned to Blaise, almost tempted to accept the sweet gesture. Instead, she knocked into his wrist, causing the pile to tumble into his lap, covering the boy with stick berry jam.

With a snarl of satisfaction, Keira tossed her head and walked right back out the doors.

"Let me help you with that," Willow said, turning back to Blaise, who was staring at his clothing in horror. "I'm really sorry about her."

"You shouldn't be," Blaise said, catching her wrist, causing Willow to look up in surprise. "You should just go."

"Well, well, well... what have we here?"

It was a slow, dark drawl that made Willow's skin crawl. Glancing up, she turned apologetically to see Draco Malfoy standing behind her, his arms crossed. Instead of looking delighted to see her, as he normally would have, the sight of her and Blaise so close together made him want to tear her away and throttle the former Slytherin in anger. And, dare he say it, jealousy.

"I was just leaving," Willow said, wiping her hands on her napkin. Lifting her bag, she ran off after Keira, nearly knocking into Harry, Ron and a few of the other males from their floor. Giving them an apologetic smile, she raced off.

Keira was sitting at one of the fountains, staring at the water. Willow stopped, seeing the look on Keira's face. "Keira..."

"You know I didn't mean any of that, right?" Keira asked softly. "It's just... my temper gets the best of me sometimes."

"Oh, Keir... I know," Willow sighed, walking over to her new friend. She found herself smiling. It was something Xander would have done. She put a comforting hand on Keira's shoulder. "I'm sorry... I keep forgetting how much you hate those morons."

"I thought Draco was bad," Keira said, wiping her eyes, "but Blaise and Leo? They're so much worse, Wil. Their reputations alone are scandalous. Stay away from them... they'll do nothing but harm that sweet, innocent face of yours."

Willow sighed and pulled away. "I wasn't doing anything with Blaise. They cornered me, probably on Draco's orders."

"Figures," Keira huffed.

"Well, let's get to class," Willow said in resignation. "At least we'll get there early."

By the time breakfast had ended, there were rumors abound. Harry had been ignoring them for the most part until Aura bounced over to their table, looking downright cheerful as she dropped in the seat next to Seamus. "Did you guys hear about Rosenberg and Zabini?"

Harry nearly choked on his orange juice. Willow... and Blaise Zabini?

"What happened?" Parvati Patil asked, leaning towards the other girl. Although Aura was Hermione's roommate, the two didn't get along very well. Aura was starting to see that Parvati was truly a magnificent wonder, although she was sometimes as brainless as Aura herself proved to be.

"Apparently Malfoy caught them," Aura said in supercilious delight, her eyes flickering to see the look on Harry's face. He looked so anguished by this news she felt her heart soar. She knew that he fancied the American redhead; it was so completely obvious. As much as she liked Willow and enjoyed her company, she preferred to be at Harry's side. "They were, shall we say, in a precarious position."

Harry stood up and stalked off then, leaving his breakfast and his book bag behind. For some odd reason, he had to leave Aura and her bloody rumor mill behind.

He should have known. He'd seen Willow running out of the large room just an hour before. She had looked stricken about something. If she'd been caught in a compromising position with someone else, who wouldn't want to get away?

The thing was, it disappointed him. He wanted so badly to believe that Willow was pure and wholesome. Anyone that did anything with Draco's group wasn't. It wasn't that Blaise wasn't good looking, because he was. He had dark hair that had some naturally lighter colors woven in, with blonde highlights. He wore it long, usually in a short ponytail. He had entrancing grey eyes that seemed to cause every female within a certain vicinity to melt. He had destroyed many reputations with his dark, seductive charm and for some reason, he didn't want Willow to succumb to it.

When Potions began, Harry glanced around the large hall as Professor Crieux droned on and on about sleeping potions. His eyes sought out Willow's red head from the back of the classroom. She and Keira always sat together in the lower part of the hall, towards the right-hand side. Aura usually sat with them, but oddly enough, Aura wasn't present for today's lecture.

Harry was slightly surprised to see that Neville Longbottom had joined them. He sat on the other side of Keira. He looked deeply relaxed, as though he were enjoying his first Potions lecture, ever.

After class, he moved immediately to intercept Willow, but was stunned to see that Draco got their first. He looked almost embarrassed to walk up to her and blinked when he saw Keira's cold gaze.

"See you at lunch, Wil. Enjoy Intro to Magic," she muttered as she and Neville passed them, on their way to Practical Defense.

Harry quickly stood in the shadows, wanting to hear Willow's own story about what happened there today.

"Little Red... Willow... I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions like that."

"You should be," Willow replied coldly. "I'm not some toy you can keep throwing around, Malfoy. I'm not Keira."

"No, but you're her bloody shadow. You could do so much better to have good friends away from... Potter and his gang..."

"What's wrong with Harry?" Willow asked, crossing her arms. "I have no problem with him."

"Besides the fact the boy obviously has it bad for you?" Draco drawled, seeing the look of realization in the other woman's eyes. Her gaze dropped to the floor and she began to shift uncomfortably. "I know he's heard the rumors of you and Blaise."

"You and I both know those are untrue," Willow said boldly, raising her gaze back up to meet his. "And if you try to say otherwise, I'll take a page from Keira's book."

"We'll see about that," Draco retorted, turning on his heel and walking away. Willow waited for a moment, sighed, and followed behind him.

Harry stepped from the shadows, feeling his heart clench painfully. Willow now knew that he had feelings for her... somehow, he thought, it was only going to get worse.

x.0.x.0.x

Practical Defense was nothing short of torture for those not into the spirit of exercising often. Keira was covered in sweat and was shaking far too much for her liking as she stood at the back of the queue.

They were attempted to play the practical version of a new Wizarding sport known as Sciocco. Professor Gabon was obviously a huge fan as the class separated into groups of eight and group by group, they were handed what appeared to be scooters and cricket nets.

After a full hour of the double-length class, Keira was exhausted and pulled back, sitting against the wall. She was part of a good team, she could say that. Parvati Patil and Blaise Zabini were the only two people on her team that she really knew, except the Kaz boy who was Hermione's Potions partner.

"All right! Team three, you're back up! Face team seven!"

Keira groaned and got back to her feet, collecting her miniature scooter and her net. A tiny ball the size of a child's fist was flying gracefully through the air as the players clumsily knocked into each other, spilling hard across the cold, wooden floor.

After Keira's third knockdown, she was starting to feel pissed off, especially since the seventh and final team included such people as Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, to name a few. But it was Leo Tolchiev who kept purposely knocking her over since he was playing one of the two defender positions.

Keira saw Harry lunging towards their goal from the corner of her eye and quickly moved to intercept him. Completely forgetting that there were certain rules against fouling the scoring players of the other team, she hurled into him, both of them flying back at least twenty feet before landing painfully.

"Oh! Crap!" Keira cried, landing hard on her back. Turning, she saw Harry staring incredulously at her. "Are you all right?" she asked him.

"I'm good," he said, offering her a hand and getting her back to her feet.

"Did you talk with Willow?" she asked, still breathing hard.

"Not really," Harry replied as he fetched his scooter. "But I want to."

Keira gave him a breathless smile, looking dazzling even when she was so miserable. "Good," she breathed, seizing her net from the floor. "Fantastic, even."

If any two people deserved each other, it was Willow and Harry, Keira thought. He may be the tragic hero type, but Willow was under some serious heartbreak right now. They both needed to have some fun. Naturally, it should be together.

Lunch came all too soon. Keira quickly ran back to her hall to shower and walked into lunch, looking around the crowded room. She spotted Willow immediately and smiled, walking over to the girl. Willow glanced up at her over her thick Introduction to Magic textbook.

"Hey, Keira!" she said with a friendly grin.

"Hey, Wil."

There was a burst of raucous laughter from the table on the other end of the great hall. Keira saw Aura look over her shoulder, her eyes widening.

"Don't look now, but here comes trouble," Aura muttered to Willow, who frowned, not really knowing what to expect.

It usually didn't come with an entire pack of hungry, rabid wolves, Keira thought, wincing as she noticed Draco, with his thugs and the other boys from his floor in tote. All of them were looking at Willow.

"Hey, Red, we want a word."

Willow lifted her fork to her mouth calmly, ignoring them. Next to her, Keira and Aura both bristled. Willow couldn't even look at Harry, who was sitting a ways down the table from them, although he'd looked at her immediately, as though trying to gauge her reaction.

"Get lost, Malfoy," Aura said coldly.

"Oh, you must be Red's little bodyguard," Blaise said coolly, looking the Greek girl up and down. Her eyes narrowed in indignation and she stamped one foot on the ground. "See, I just thought my girlfriend would like to walk with us."

Clank. Willow had dropped her fork on her plate. With trembling fingers, she reached down and grasped it again, ignoring the fact her face was turning pink.

"Sod off, Zabini," Keira said, standing up. Since she was barely taller than Willow, she only came up to his shoulders, but the look in her eyes was clear enough. When Aura rose, it was much more intimidating, since she easily matched Blaise's height.

"Yeah, go away," Aura replied.

Willow swallowed the last of her baked chicken, dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, and turned at last to face her new nemesis.

Down the table, Harry held his breath, watching as Willow stood up. She was slightly shorter than Keira, and quite a bit shorter than Aura. It was almost a laughable move on their part, as they watched as Willow stepped away from the bench and raised her gaze to glare at the entire lot of them.

"Oh, so you want to take a walk, right?" she asked in a light, airy tone.

Keira's jaw dropped behind her.

"That's right," said Blaise, reaching for her hand. To everyone's surprise, Willow let him take it.

"Willow, what are you doing?" Keira asked in horror from behind her.

"Going for a walk," Willow said with a cheerful wink over her shoulder back at her friend. "I'll see you in History..."

And she left with the entire lot of them. The look on Draco's face couldn't have been happier; he had finally bested Keira by getting Willow to ditch her. And Willow had to be one of Isley's only new friends, since Keira was so antisocial a lot of the time.

Once they were outside, Draco watched Willow closely. He knew she could act like a ticking time bomb. But, she acted the part of the perfect girlfriend for their walk around the gardens. She and Blaise even went off on their own.

So why do I feel so jealous? Draco wondered. They obviously looked cute together. Then again, Little Red would make anyone look good.

Even me.

"I should probably be getting back," Willow said softly. "History starts soon and I really don't want to be late for that."

"We could always find someplace more private," Blaise suggested smugly, looking around their dark corner. "And just, you know, talk."

"Oh, Blaise, do you know how long I've been waiting for you to say that?" Willow asked sweetly.

Blaise stared at her adoring face and immediately tensed with suspicion. "What are you playing at?"

Willow coyly twirled a lock of red hair around her finger. "Well, since you're playing me, I thought we could make a game of it." Seeing Draco staring at them from across the commons, she turned to Blaise suggestively. "I like these games..."

"You... you do?" Blaise asked incredulously. He'd only agreed to go along with Malfoy for a reason; to completely piss off Keira Isley, who was much more trouble than she was worth. The only problem was, using Little Red to get to her seemed to be such a cold, heartless thing to do. And, another problem, Willow was a total sweetheart, if such a person ever existed.

Willow grinned. She knew Draco had to set this up. It had his name written all over it. She had planned to play along and face the consequences later. But it was time for her big finish.

"You know I do," she murmured seductively as she took him by the lapels of his coat and pulled his face down to hers, their lips meeting passionately.

Willow heard what she was looking to find. She heard Draco's sharp gasp and the sound of footsteps running towards them. Willow broke away from Blaise before gazing up at him with a revolted look.

"Stop playing me, Zabini, or you will be very, very sorry," she snarled as Draco stopped before a pissed off Willow and a very stunned Blaise.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked Blaise angrily, but before Blaise could reply, Willow turned cold eyes to him.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" she asked playfully, walking towards him. "I hope you liked the show. More to come," she said with a wink. "So just wait for more."

Clapping him on the shoulder, she walked off, her red hair blowing freely in the wind.

She met Keira in front of their classroom. Keira's jaw was set and she looked angry. "What the hell was that all about?" she asked as Willow joined her.

"Oh, you know Malfoy! It was hit plot to peg you down," Willow said, snorting as she saw Malfoy and his croonies all gathering at the back of the queue. "But I told him that if he didn't stop playing me... he was going to get burned."

"You saw through Zabini's scheme?"

"Duh," Willow said, rolling her eyes. "I may be naive, Keira, but I'm not stupid."

"Obviously you are," Keira said shortly as the class began filing into the lecture hall. "Because you already hurt someone."

"I... oh..." Willow said, her eyes glancing up at the seats above them. Her eyes met Harry, who looked away with great difficulty. "Harry..."

Willow hadn't meant to hurt Harry in any way. She had just been hoping to show Draco up. Now that she thought of it, it had been a very Cordelia-like thing to do, and she regretted it. Pulling out her notebook, she stared at the front of the class to listen to their Professor speak.

Above her, Harry Potter felt as though his heart was hovering in the balls of his feet, squashing along with every step. Seeing Willow walking off with Blaise Zabini had been one thing, but that look Draco had given her, one of open admiration, had been something in a whole new park.

Draco and Harry had always been enemies, before and after the fall of the Dark Lord. It seemed as though Draco was still trying to best Harry, including going after the one girl in this whole sodding school Harry seemed to fancy.

He had just thought it to himself; he fancied Willow. He liked the damn girl and she was off running around with Blaise Zabini as though nothing could stop her.

Aura had been dripping with satisfaction, he realized with revulsion. As much as he thought he'd liked Aura in the beginning, she was as good as Parvati Patil when it came to gossip, but when it came to spite, she was second only to Pansy Parkinson.

He knew he had to talk to Willow, to tell her what he was feeling. He reckoned she already knew, since he'd spilled his heart to Keira, who would have turned around and told Willow. The two girls were practically attached to the hip, the closest friendship between two women he'd seen since Parvati and Lavender.

In the back row of seats, Draco Malfoy glared at the Professor babbling in broken Russian below. He had never been so humiliated in his life. He really liked Willow, really liked her, and he had thrown it all away on a stupid plot of his to make Keira look bad. The kiss had been the breaking point, Draco realized sadly. When he'd seen Blaise and Willow together, it had been a horrible punch to the gut. There was a passion there, he'd seen.

Neither one of them was really into the other, he knew. Willow probably had a thing for Potter, since he seemed to fancy her. As for Blaise, he was probably figuring out which woman to bed next. And since he'd been staring at a group of French-Canadians at the other end of the row with suggestive eyes, Draco didn't doubt it.

But Blaise wasn't looking at those girls, exactly. He was thinking about that kiss. It had been passionate, very passionate. It had been one of the best impromptu kisses he had ever had.

He was starting to think second thoughts about Little Red, followed closely by third thoughts and fourth. He couldn't help it. There was more to the little redhead that met the eye. Draco sure as hell couldn't see it. He kept giving Willow those open-ended come-hither looks that Willow obviously couldn't see.

By the time Blaise and Draco went down to dinner, everyone was talking about what had happened that morning. Blaise was met by Pansy's triumphant face as she waved a bit of newspaper in front of them.

"Pansy, what is this?" Draco asked patiently.

"It's the new column!" Pansy shrieked, giggling. "And look what we got on our front page?"

Blaise felt his heart drop into his shoes. Draco hissed like a venomous serpent, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Across the room, Willow was shaking as she stared at the moving image of herself kissing Blaise again... and again... and again...

"Oh, my God," she said, jumping up. Keira turned to her friend in alarm.

"Wil?" she asked.

"That _bastard_," Willow said angrily, turning around to face Draco and Blaise, who were standing with the boy named Leo, Pansy and a few others. "What have you done?" she demanded, rushing over to them.

"Like the picture, Little Red?" Pansy asked innocently. "That should take Irish high-and-mighty over _there_ down a notch or two..."

Keira had heard her roommate and jumped to her feet. Aura did the same, not really knowing why, since she really wasn't in the mood to fight Malfoy at all.

"What have I done to you?" Willow asked angrily.

"You were convenient revenge," Pansy said, her heavily-made up eyes drifting lazily over to where Harry was sitting with the rest of his friends. He'd gone white and looked as though he were on his deathbed. "It's a very naughty thing you've done, Willow. Just look at his face... how crushed does he look knowing the one girl who had an original thought in her head has consorted with the enemy?"

As Pansy wrapped a slim, pale arm over her shoulder, Willow turned, shaking, to face Harry. His eyes met hers. They were full of loathing.

Willow found she couldn't speak. She could barely even move.

"Get the hell away from her!"

It was Keira, who had finally entered the fray. She had her hands on her hips and looked positively venomous. "We all know you've had it in for Willow ever since your supposed lover here starting making googly eyes at her."

Pansy's face twisted into a righteous snarl. "Oh, you can be Miss High-and-Mighty all you want, Isley, but that doesn't ignore the fact you practically sent Little Red here into our willing arms."

"Don't you dare pull this stuff with Willow, she never did anything to you!" Keira shouted.

The Great Hall was quiet now, watching as the three women faced off. Even Draco looked put out, but it was nothing compared to how Harry felt. He had turned the newspaper over, not wanting to see the damning embrace every single time his eyes fell on it...

"The only thing Willow has going for her is us," Pansy said with a smooth smile. "Let's see how fast she can get away with being a Blaise Zabini castoff."

"You bitch," Keira muttered, throwing herself at Pansy.

Both women fell to the floor as Keira rolled over the top of the taller girl and leapt to her feet.

Willow still hadn't been able to move.

Blaise hadn't felt sorry for many people before now. But the look on Willow's face was bad enough. He felt his heart climb into his throat as Willow stood there, watching without much conviction, as Keira and Pansy, once happy roommates, clawed at each other, as though attempting to rip one another's eyes out.

"Really, that's enough!"

It was Percy Weasley, the one Professor left in the Hall. He looked beside himself as he pulled out his wand and muttered, "_Impediment_a"

Both women were blasted off their feet. Keira jumped back to a standing position, feeling as though she could row all night with a pathetic simpering fool like Parkinson.

That was until she saw the look on Willow's face. It was beyond devastation. It was beyond being crushed. It was hurt. Keira's dark gaze raised to meet Draco's. "Look at what you've done," she snapped bitterly. "Did you ever think she'd fall for you when you'd hurt her so easily? You just threw it all away."

Draco blinked as he turned his gaze to look at Willow, but she hadn't moved in the past few moments. She kept staring out towards the door, looking as though she were about to shatter.

Blaise stood next to him, the newspaper falling onto the floor, the picture facing upwards. For a moment, no one said anything until Percy returned, looking furious.

"You're on restriction, Miss Parkinson, Miss Isley, starting now. You can forget about your Practical lesson tonight, Isley. Get to your room. Now."

Seeing as though they really had no choice, Pansy and Keira, throwing each other looks of deepest loathing, exited.

Willow was still standing, feeling so very alone now that Keira had left. It was the mark on how new she really was to this world.

It wasn't until Aura stood up, looking impassive as she walked to Willow's side.

"I think it's high time you left, Malfoy," she said coldly.

"Wait," Willow said under her breath. Aura looked at her friend in surprise. Willow's head had snapped back up, as though she were trying to do something she wasn't so sure she should be doing. Moving forward, she met Draco's gaze.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" she asked him in a hollow, dead voice. Before Draco could react or even put his arms up to protect himself, she raised her hand and slapped him very hard across the face.

Draco was starting to get annoyed. First Isley, and now Little Red. But he didn't dare say anything in front of the other girl now, who gave him a stormy look before pulling away and walking out of the Great Hall alone.

Harry wanted desperately to stand up and go after her, but he knew that it was going above and beyond anything he had ever faced. No matter how much he liked her, Draco had played her for an idiot. Willow had been hurt badly, and getting on Keira's bad side, especially when it concerned Willow, was probably a very stupid thing to do.

"Go after her," Ron muttered, his elbow digging into Harry's ribs.

"I... I can't," Harry replied, looking at the door. "She's already gone."

Willow stopped by the fountain, feeling as though she wanted the Earth to open up. She wanted to sink through it so she could be back home in Sunnydale again.

"I want to go home," she whispered as she sat on the fountain, feeling as though everything had gone so suddenly wrong.

"Willow?"

She glanced up and saw Blaise Zabini standing there, looking almost nervous to come closer. She straightened and gave him an icy look.

"What are you doing here, Zabini?" she snapped.

"I wanted to apologize," Blaise replied, taking a few steps closer. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that."

"It wasn't your fault," she said, giving him a tense look. "It was all Malfoy."

"I went along with it," Blaise said angrily, dropping onto the fountain next to her. "It was stupid of me."

"And I was the one that kissed you, so you have no blame," Willow said sadly.

"He didn't want to hurt you," Blaise said after a few moments of awkward silence. "He really did like you, you know."

"I'm just the daffy American everyone thinks they can throw around and play with like a toy," Willow said angrily, unaware that tears kept slipping down her cheeks. "Damn it..."

Blaise edged closer to her, putting a shaking hand on her shoulder to comfort her as she cried. "Come on, Willow. You're like the strongest person I've met. I saw what you did at the midnight duel. You've got power no one here can begin to understand because we use wands. You're stronger than this. Draco just wanted to make Keira look like an idiot... but he hurt the one person he actually cares about in this place."

"Right," Willow said angrily. "Because I'm so good-natured and hearty, right? He's never seen me pissed off before. If he's thinks Potter is his worst enemy, he's got another thing coming."

Her tone of voice scared Blaise. His hand fell down her back, coming to rest on her waist. It was such a tender scene that Blaise was astonished by his own daring. He would have laughed if it wouldn't piss her off so badly. He had never been this soft nor this sensitive to a woman before. It scared him.

Neither one of them noticed Harry Potter and his gang of goody-goody's walking out of the hall towards their Practical Potions class, Neville moaning that his Potions partner had been put on Restriction.

Harry glanced up when he saw that Willow was sitting by the fountains. For some odd reason, he wanted to go to her. He stopped dead when he saw that she wasn't alone but was in the company of none other than Blaise Zabini.

"What does he want with her?" Harry asked Ron, who'd come up beside him.

"Beats me, mate. We've got to go if we're going to make it on time."

"Yeah..."

Willow was fifteen minutes late for Practical Potions. Professor Crieux didn't say anything other than give Willow a small smile. He, as everyone else did, pitied the daft American girl.

But she wasn't about to let her humiliation show her true colors. She felt rage like nothing she had ever felt before.

She joined Ron and Neville, who'd come over to work with them. It was Ron who spoke first however.

"How could you do that to him?"

"To who?" Willow asked coldly as she measured a teaspoon of yak's blood before adding it to their cauldron.

"Harry," Neville said earnestly. "He really liked you."

It had been said in the past tense, Willow thought miserably, glancing up at the table two across from her own. Harry was working with Aura, who was laughing and openly flirting with him. It was this sight than any other, perhaps, that made Willow feel even worse.

"I really like him, too," Willow said quietly, turning back to their Potion.

"Then what is the deal between you and Zabini?" Ron snapped.

"It was just Draco's sick game," Willow said sadly as she took a beaker of bile from Neville and added it to the Potion, stepping back to the let the other boy stir it.

"I meant just a few minutes ago," Ron said hastily. It was then that he noticed Willow's face. She had been crying...

"He apologized for being such a jerk," Willow replied. "I can't really blame him, you know. It was my own stupid fault for wanting to hurt Draco before he could get back at Keira."

"You were protecting her," Neville said earnestly at her elbow. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Keira's my closest friend here if you haven't noticed," Willow replied as she watched Ron carefully shred roots. "This has to simmer now for nine minutes, right?"

"Yeah," Ron said, checking their Potions manual. "Right."

Willow sat down on the stool. "I'm sorry Ron, for doing whatever I did to make you angry."

"Hey," said Ron, the hard look on his face softening, "I was protecting my best friend, too."

"It's something we're both guilty of," Willow said with a shy smile. "The only problem is, it's probably ruined the chance I had with Harry."

"No," Neville said suddenly. "It really hasn't."

Willow glanced at him in confusion just as a warm hand touched her shoulder. She found herself responding to the touch. It felt like...

"Harry, mate, what brings you to table four?" Ron asked in a happy voice as he prodded the flames with the tip of his wand.

"I was hoping I could talk to Willow... alone."

Across the room, Aura was sending Willow a scathing glare as both Harry and the other girl walked outside into the cool night air.

Willow hugged herself as the cool air hit her face, drying the confused tears left behind.

"You want to tell me the truth about what happened in there?" Harry asked softly from behind her.

Willow turned to face him. "I was trying to protect Keira. I am so sick of Malfoy's games and this time he chose to hurt me. He used Blaise to get at me and I am not going to let that one go."

"You have to, Willow," Harry said, taking a step towards her. "You don't know Draco like I do. He'll destroy you."

"I think my life here has been destroyed already, don't you think?"

"Why, because of one false rumor and a picture?" he asked her as she turned away. He felt like he was losing her and he didn't want it to happen. He really liked her and this reaction of hers was scaring him. "Willow, I like you a lot. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I just spent the last eighteen years of my life on a Hellmouth," Willow said, not look at him. "I think I can manage an eighteen-year-old male just fine, thanks." She paused a moment. Had he just said what she think she heard?

She turned around. He had; his smile was enough to make her own heart flutter. "Oh, Harry... I really like you now that I'm getting to know you... but... I can't do this, not now... not so soon after..." She bit her lip and pulled away. "If you knew half as much of what I've been through..."

"I'd like you even more," Harry said, walking up behind her. He slowly turned her to face him. "Oh, Willow... no wonder Keira adores you. You have a heart and you're not afraid to use it."

"I am right now," she confessed. Without warning, she stepped into his arms and for a moment, they held onto each other.

There was the sound of a clearing throat from the doorway; it was Ron. "Sorry to break up the happy moment, but the potion is just about ready, Wil."

"I'm coming," she said, stepping out of Harry's embrace. As soon as Ron left, she turned to Harry with an endearing smile. "Thank you, Harry... for being my friend."

"Maybe someday..." he said, tucking a strand of her bright hair behind one ear.

"I'll get back to you on that one," she said with a grin as they both retreated back inside the warmth of the tower laboratory.

x.0.x.0.x

Chapter 10... Keira's reaction...

I have to make a few comments to the reviewers.

**Irina** -- Welcome back! I'm glad you're liking this. I'm surprised I even like it. I was ready to abandon it, but I haven't. Not yet, anyway. To answer your questions, what sort of magic does Willow have? Wiccan. She has a wand, but her skills are more pronounced with her Wiccan studies. It'll be picked up a bit when she starts more in depth studying. Is Willow going to be on the Voldemort storyline? Not really, but there are supporters of Voldemort that still exist. They'll be brought into the story, which will take it away from the soap opera track it's still on. And, yeah, this chapter explored her BtVS roots. It'll be explored further, with visitations and everything. Buffy and Xander were in this chapter... others will come later! Lastly, Willow does pick up on evil. It comes from living on a hellmouth for the first eighteen years of her life. You'll see what I mean!

**Lady Aura** -- Thank you :) I'm glad this story helped raise your spirits. The love stories are only tangled up now. Oh, the evil fun I could have with this...

Yeah, so this hasn't been updated since the middle of August. I figure if I can do at least TWO a month, that's pretty damn good. But, I'll be frank and say one more chapter before my break. If I write fast enough, it may even be a multiple-update.

I really love the direction this chapter nudged the story in. Hopefully it won't be TOO sappy, but... you never know. I gotta bring in some plot twists and evil morons like the Death Eaters. It just adds mystery to the story. Oh, and a few other BtVS-Season 4 surprises. I planned this a long time ago... so, sticking with it.

I hope you enjoy... and if you'd like to leave a review, I won't twist your arm. :)


	10. His Way

**Chapter 10**

**His Way**

- - - - -

Early Tuesday morning, Keira walked into the office of their head of House. He looked at her sternly over his spectacles and offered her a seat and coffee. Keira took it gratefully; she hadn't slept much. It took almost all of her self control not to cross the room and throttle Pansy Parkinson.

She had also asked to move out of the room. She couldn't stand Pansy nor her late night guests any more. And after Pansy had pulled that stunt on Willow, it just pissed Keira off more.

The best he could offer her was a place in Summoning. It was a solo suite on the tower side facing the Channel, but Keira was ready to take whatever she could get.

She walked into the Great Hall, looking around, half expecting to see Willow sitting with Malfoy and his cronies, but she wasn't. She was sitting right next to Harry, and they were talking to each other.

Keira thanked whatever power that there was for the small miracle and hurried to join them, taking the seat on the other side of Willow.

"So, how was Restriction?" Willow asked her curiously as she sipped her tea.

"Dreadful," Keira replied, wrinkling her nose. "It was all I could do to not kill that bitch of a roommate of mine..."

"I hear ya," Seamus said from across the table. "If she were my roommate, I would have hexed her into the Channel, no matter who had seen it."

"Hear, hear!" Keira said, toasting him immediately. She turned back to Willow, who was reading from her thick textbook again. "Ready to go to Potions?"

"No," Willow said with a yawn, stretching. "Not yet, really."

"Why are you so tired for?" Keira asked, her eyes flickering over to Harry. "Don't tell me the two of you..."

"Oh, no, no, Keira!" Willow replied, looking scandalized. "I was up late studying."

"You were? Studying what?" Keira asked in confusion.

"Well, this for one thing, and if you didn't notice, we have a History essay due tomorrow at one."

"Oh, right," Keira said, remembering this. "I guess I'll have to get busy this afternoon. I can't believe we have another free afternoon!"

"I know," Willow said with a dreamy smile.

"Before you two go off and make plans," Hermione said from across the table, "you should remember Keira that you have Sciocco practice."

Keira swore under her breath and turned away. Having to spend an entire afternoon practicing a sport she despised was almost as fun as getting all of her teeth yanked from her jawbone; it was torture. Especially since Blaise Zabini was on her team and he truly wasn't one of her favorite people at the moment.

Not to mention Parvati Patil, the sleazy gossip queen. And Kaz Rozokov, Hermione's Potions partner, who was, from what she was hearing around the breakfast table, one of the worst people ever.

"He just sat there and kept mixing dangerous ingredients, saying he wanted to see what they would do!" Hermione complained, looking miserable. "I swear that Snape had something to do with who got whom for a partner, because this is nothing less than torture!"

Tuesday was a day full of torture. Keira stayed closely by Willow's side. In Potions, they sat with Harry and his friends, and she made sure Willow sat between her and Harry so that she was protected from Malfoy and his thugs, who sat three rows back, glaring at her pointedly.

After Potions, Blaise, who had been dubbed the team captain, caught up with her. "Hey, Isley!"

"What do you want, Zabini?" she mimicked sarcastically as she turned to face him.

"I just wanted to let you know we're practicing at three," Blaise told her easily without responding to her cruel sarcasm. Even Keira felt surprised that he didn't seem to care.

"What's got you in such a good mood, Blaise?" she asked him in surprise.

"I don't want any hard feelings, that's all," Blaise replied as he turned his heel and stalked away.

Keira didn't know what to think as they walked into the Library before lunch. Willow was in Introduction to Magic, so Keira found herself alone to study until a shadow fell over her table. She glanced up and saw her Potions partner standing above her, looking nervous.

"Hey, Neville," she said kindly, gesturing to the seat across from her. "How did Practical Potions go last night?"

"We did all right," Neville said softly. "I hope you don't mind we got the same grade Willow and Ron did."

"And what grade did they get?" Keira asked, now feeling slightly concerned.

"Perfect, of course," Neville said, shrugging. "I'm not sure I learned much of it, though."

"It was a sleeping draught, right?" Keira asked him slowly. "Well, we'll just go through it again, okay? Next lesson?"

"You don't mind?" Neville asked, looking at her nervously.

"Of course not," Keira said, and she truly didn't. "I wasn't there either. If that draught comes up on an exam, who am I to say that I recall all ingredients without even reading the little book!"

Neville looked incredibly relieved and fell silent as Keira continued to read through her materials. At eleven thirty, they went to lunch together, meeting Harry, Ron and a few of the others in the Great Hall. Just shortly after noon, Willow joined them, looking relieved. For some odd reason, most of the school had backed off from either taunting her with the compromising picture from the day before or else pitying her until they were blue in the face, Keira wasn't sure which.

She had a feeling it had come from Malfoy though, the way he kept glancing at Willow as she walked over to join them.

Willow had Introduction to Runes right after lunch while Keira had her stupid practice. Willow happily walked off to class with a few of the others from their table, leaving Keira to sit in the Great Hall and scowl at the History text she'd brought along, attempting to work on her essay.

She only had a short amount of time though before she met up with the rest of her team. Unfortunately for her, Blaise had stepped in and had asked the team to act more friendly towards one another.

"Fat chance," Parvati muttered, glaring at Kaz, who glared right back. There was another darker-haired and darker-skinned girl named Anin Mahil on the team, too. Keira recognized her as a neighbor. She was also one of the team's defenders. Blaise had obviously taken a liking to her. They were flirting when Parvati and Keira walked into the small arena to practice.

It was laughable how poorly they did. Blaise had different players trying out different positions. Keira realized how bad she was until she tried out goalkeeping for herself. With the use of both hands and the ability to not have to rely on a stupid bit of net, she found herself more useful. Blaise looked relieved and Keira actually felt her first bit of warmth towards their team captain. Kaz was best as a defender, but they had yet to find another. Parvati and Anin were both great goal scorers. Blaise wanted to be the power center. The other three players on the team were three males from one of the other Houses. Finally, Blaise consented and fell into the defending position, allowing one of the other smaller boys to be the power forward and the two midfielders took over in the wing position.

After practicing this way for nearly an hour, even Keira was surprised by how much they'd improved.

She wasn't expecting loud applause as they trooped off the wooden floor.

"Oh, Keira, you were hot!" Willow said with a grin as she stood up from the bleachers she'd been sitting on. "It makes me realize how much I miss Practical Defense."

"How was Runes?" Keira asked her as she toweled off her face.

"I'm actually getting it," Willow said, a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Hey, Little Red!" Blaise called out, waving to her.

"Hey, Zabini!" she called back, waving. When she turned back to Keira, she sighed. "It's nothing, Keir. We have an understanding. That's all."

"An understanding, is that what you're calling it now?" Keira asked her suspiciously. "And I had such high hopes for you, Wil."

Willow glared at her, hitching her bag back over her shoulder. "Well, I'm not the one that punched the hell out of my roommate now, am I?"

"I suppose not," Keira said with a yawn. "What's up right now?"

"I'm heading down to dinner and then I intend on finishing my History essay," Willow replied breezily. "And yourself?"

"If I didn't have my Ancient Charms and Rituals lecture tonight, I would happily be joining you," Keira said brightly as the two women walked back outside. "That and I think my rear is going to be falling off any second now from all of that hard work."

"You call skating around on a scooter and waving a little net hard work?" Willow asked in amazement. "You should try patrolling sometime."

"Patrolling what?" Keira asked, frowning.

"Oh, nothing," Willow replied, waving her hand impatiently. "Let's just get down to dinner, okay? I'm starving after my Runes class."

"All right," Keira agreed, and they walked into dinner together.

- - - - -

Willow returned to her room later that evening, hunting immediately for her calling card. She didn't know how much time she had left on it and frankly she didn't give a damn. She needed to talk to Buffy and the time had come for drastic action.

She ran downstairs, nearly knocking several returning, chattering students over and not really caring about that, either.

When she reached the phone, she was a little relieved to find the study room was nearly full to bursting with students working on their first History essay, Runes translations, Arithmancy charts and everything else Willow could see. She dialed the number she now knew by heart and waited for the familiar four rings and the answering machine to pick up.

It didn't happen. The phone was picked up halfway through the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello!" Willow gasped. "Is Buffy there?"

"Hold on," the feminine voice replied. There was a pause, and then Willow heard the familiar sound of her best friend's voice.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know. It sounds serious," the feminine voice said. There was the sound of exchanging phones before Willow heard Buffy's voice at last.

"Buffy?"

"Oh, it's Willow! Hey, Willow!"

Willow nearly sank to her knees in relief. "Oh, Buffy! I've been trying to reach you for the past week!"

"Sorry about that. With the school and the patrolling and everything... how's England?"

Willow spent the next twenty minutes telling her about her first few weeks at Apocrypha. Buffy was ever a welcome best friend as any and listened to Willow's complaints and stories with a hint of saddness in her responses; she truly missed her best friend.

"So, how it Sunnydale? College life at UC-Sunnydale... Xander, Giles and everyone?" Willow asked meekly.

"As long as you're asking," Buffy replied, and Willow could practically see the smirk on the other woman's face, "college is great. My roommate's name is Tara, and if you can believe it, she's big with the mojo stuff, too. It's been hell trying to get her to come on patrols, but she's been wicked useful. College life is okay. I've been in this Psych class taught by this loony, Walsh. So not liking her. Xander's great. He and Anya have hit it off, believe it or not. He's working as a deliveryman at the moment, I think. But I heard Anya's trying to talk him into the army..."

The way Buffy was speaking, Willow could see each one of their lives displayed before her like a videocamera. With a wistful smile, Willow checked her watch, pleasantly surprised to find that she had been on the telephone for nearly thirty minutes!

"And Giles, you know, he's the same old ex-Watcher," Buffy blathered on, not really understanding or even knowing that as Willow listened, a tear slipped from her cheek. Her friends really had moved on with their lives, and Willow, for once, was feeling left behind.

"I heard that the Dingos have made their mark up and down the West Coast," Buffy said, her voice dropping. "I really hope you don't mind I'm telling you all of this."

"Not at all," Willow said, smiling through her tears. "The more, the merrier."

"There's these guys, right? They've been stalking the campus a lot at night lately. They call themselves commandos or something, but Giles thinks they're human..."

Buffy's voice was cut off by a warning that Willow had only two minutes left of her time. She didn't want to let go of the old remainder of home. Before Buffy could continue on about the commando men, Willow cut in.

"I hate to say this, Buffy, but I've got less than two minutes left on my card," Willow said, trying to sound happy, while her voice belied her misery. "I really should say goodbye."

"Do we have to do this?" Buffy asked, her voice soft. Willow heard her best friend give a loud, resounding sniffle.

Willow felt that she was about to lose control completely. "Oh, Buff, I don't want to... but you're so far away, I'm here and my life is a disaster!"

"It'll work out, in the end," Buffy assured her in a tearful, soothing voice. "We love you, Wil, even if you're learning how to pretend to be a Giles."

"I love you too, Buffy," Willow said, smiling sadly. "I can't wait to see you soon. I--"

But her voice was cut off as the line went dead. Sighing, she replaced the phone on the cradle, the calling card falling from her shaking hands and fluttering to the floor near her feet.

Ignoring it, she walked over to one of the sofas underneath the luminous window and sank down onto the soft leather, hugging herself. She stared out the window for what seemed like hours before a gentle voice said, "Willow?"

She turned with a tearful gaze to look at Harry. She wanted to smile, but her face felt frozen. Instead, she lowered her gaze and gave a half-humiliated chuckle. "Had you going there for a sec, didn't I?" she asked him quietly.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, moving closer.

She had turned back to the window. "Nothing's wrong, Harry," she said, a hint of deep bitterness in her voice. "It's just that... I want to go home..."

There was a longing in her face now that Harry saw. He understood it completely, as a longing he always felt towards Hogwarts.

"Is this not your home now?" he asked her, stepping into the dim light from a street lamp still glowing in the darkening night.

"No," Willow said, shaking her head. "And you know why? I love being back there. In Sunnydale, I felt alive, I felt like I mattered... here... here I feel nothing. I'm no one. I'm just... just Willow. And you know what? I think I'd rather be back with my best friends in Sunnydale, where everything is familiar even if it is dangerous. I belong there."

"You're wrong."

Willow turned her bitter gaze upon him, surprise flashing in her own brown eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You say you don't belong here, but you do, Willow," Harry said, moving even closer to her, not fully aware how uncomfortable she was feeling. "You've got friends who care about you. You've got an enemy that hates you. Your Professors adore you. And..."

"What?" Willow asked him sharply. "Are you going to tell me there's something else about this cold, distant world I should be thankful for?"

Harry wanted desperately to say, "Me," but even he wasn't that delusional. He just gave her a placid smile. "Don't grow up so fast," he finally warned with a tight smile.

"I've heard that one before," Willow said bitterly, sighing as she clasped her arms around her knees. "Tell me something, Harry... why is this world so warm and welcoming? Why do I feel like I should belong here, but I'm just an outsider trying to fight her way in?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted softly. "Maybe it's because you're still trying to find your place here..."

"I've been in this country less than a month now," Willow replied coolly. "I haven't felt it yet... except..."

"Except what?" Harry asked, trying to see the myriad of emotions crossing her face. "Willow, what?"

"That night on the beach..." Willow finally said.

"What about it?" Harry asked her, feeling confused.

"It was the first night I realized I had friends here," Willow replied, watching as he edged ever so nearer. "You know, Keira and all."

"You two are great together," Harry admitted.

She sighed, running a hand through her shoulder-length red hair. "You know what? I think I'm going to go to bed... it's getting late and we have class and all in the morning..."

"I'll walk you to your door," Harry offered.

"Thanks, but you really don't have to--"

"I insist," he said, and before she could move away, he leaned forward and took her hand in his. His bold movement caused her to gasp, her eyes widening as she gazed sideways at him before allowing him to pull her along towards the golden elevators at the other end of the hall.

He still hadn't released her hand three minutes later when they walked back out, now safely on the fifth floor. Most of the hallway was quiet, except for the sounds of music coming from Parvati and Lavender's room, the door slightly ajar.

She reached her own room that she shared with Padma and turned to Harry to thank him for his kindness when out of the blue, he had reached up his free hand, touching her face, still wet with tears.

"You're incredible, Willow," he said quietly. "I hope someday you'll truly see how incredible you really are."

"It takes time," Willow finally said through a forced smile. But before she could move away, he pulled her face towards his. His lips gently brushed her own. Although the gesture had lasted barely a second, she felt blood rush to her face as she pulled away.

This is what she had wanted, she realized. This is what she had been fantasizing about...

Before Harry could pull away, she took his face between her palms and kissed him with every ounce of strength she could muster, the passion searing her as he responded seconds later to her embrace.

After a long moment, the two broke apart, Willow's face the same shade of magenta as the small sign hanging from the door, boasting her name along with Padma's.

"Good night, Harry," she said with a different smile. Without waiting for a response, she opened the door, stepped through it, and closed it behind her.

"Good night, Willow," Harry whispered. He still hadn't moved.

Willow nearly shrieked as she locked her door, but saw that Padma was hovering over her desk, the dreaded History essay rolled out before her.

"I don't know what you're so smiley about, but this is due tomorrow," Padma said in a grumpy tone.

"I'm done with mine," Willow trilled happily as she unbuttoned her blouse and changed into her nightgown.

"What's got you so happy?" Padma asked, turning around and eyeing her roommate warily.

"Can't I just be happy for once?" Willow asked her in a sing-song voice as she pulled on a light shirt over her rather skimpy nightgown and grapped her travel case.

She returned a few moments later, with the same dreamy expression she'd worn five minutes before. Padma was definitely suspicious now as she set down her quill and frowned at her roommate.

"What?" Willow asked as she sat down on her bed, reaching for the thick History textbook.

"You look different," Padma said suspiciously. "Almost as though you're..."

"Yeah, yeah, don't we all," Willow said with a cheeky grin as she flipped open her book to chapter four and started reading.

"It isn't... Blaise, is it?"

Willow gasped as the book dropped into her lap. "Oh, God, no!"

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Padma cried dramatically, slamming her reference book shut with a grin of relief.

"Did I miss something here?" Willow asked in a tiny voice.

"He's a cult-seeking moron-loving man-whore!" Padma said vehemently and Willow, who had never heard her roommate speak out about anyone before, was impressed and found herself respecting the other girl.

"Did you date him?" Willow asked meekly. It was something Cordelia might have said after a particularly bad breakup.

"Parvati did, but he kept calling her Padma nonetheless," Padma said dramatically.

"He isn't that bad, is he?" Willow asked, beginning to regret ever seeking a friendship with the other boy. She knew of his tarnished reputation, but still, it was disheartening to hear him being spoken of in this manner.

"Are you kidding me?" Padma gasped, nearly dropping the stack of books in her arms. "He seduced my sister, Wil. He basically broke her up with Harry and just--"

"Wait a moment," Willow said quickly, lifting a pale hand. "Parvati and Harry?"

"It all started in their sixth year," Padma said with a sigh. "I, of course, was dating Justin... but Parvati and Harry, well... Zabini was the reason they broke it off after five perfect, blissful months."

"How... interesting," Willow said quietly, closing her book. "Tell me more."

"Everything between Parvati and Harry was great, right, until Blaise suddenly takes up this bet with Malfoy and some of the other morons in Slytherin. The next thing you know, Zabini beds my sister and her reputation is gone to the gutters! Harry goes off after Ginny and Parvati is left looking like the simpering, broken-hearted victim."

"But... she dumped Harry!" Willow said, feeling defensive for the boy she had just kissed not a half hour before. "She has no right to act like a victim!"

"That's not the point," Padma sighed as she pulled on a robe over her own striped nightgown. "The point is, when you play with Malfoy and his friends, you play with fire, Willow. You're going to get burned. I know that Draco has some sick obsession over besting Isley and it won't stop until he hurts her and we know he's capable of using you to get to her. Just look at what happened."

"I know," Willow said, her cheeks turning pink,

"He got Blaise to hurt you," Padma said, a look of sardonic anger in her eyes. "And if that bastards comes after another one of my friends, well..." She looked away as she gathered a towel and her toothbrush. "Excuse me."

But inside, Willow was jumping for joy. Padma had called her a friend. Not one person, not even Keira, had acknowledged and said this to her face. It was beyond touching.

Maybe, just maybe, she belonged here after all.

- - - - -

The next morning was stormy and grey. Keira and Willow ran from their dormitory to the Great Hall, which was full of sodden, hungry students.

Keira's eyes were bloodshot and she was quite pale. She confessed to Willow she'd been up all night, working on her History essay.

"And I'm not quite finished with it yet!" she raged on, glaring at the roll of parchment, still three inches from the bottom. "I hate History."

"I personally find it fascinating," Aura said from across the table. She glanced up through hooded eyes to find both girls staring at her. "You have to admit that the ancient Egyptian Wizards were quite interesting."

"Not so much as to write a whole twenty four inch essay on them," Keira seethed as Willow poured her a cup of coffee. "Thanks, Wil."

"Anytime."

"Hey, Willow, here comes your fan club," Aura snickered as Malfoy and the rest of the 'pureblooded' cult walked in. Not one of them cast a glance in their direction, though. They all appeared to be wringing themselves from the rain still falling heavily outside.

"Really not caring about them right now," Willow said happily, turning back to her muffin and coffee. "Which Wizard did you write about, Keir?"

"The one that whose eye supposedly comprised that of the sphynx, why?" Keira asked, lifting her own exhausted eyes to look at her friend.

Willow pulled out a small black book and handed it over to her. "Because Padma wrote about the same one. She used this book for her conclusion."

Keira looked as though she were about to cry with relief.

"Good morning, all!"

It was Parvati, surrounded by Lavender, her twin, Padma and a few other giggling girls. Behind them were Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of their group. They all sat down at the empty table, filling in many of the chairs. Aura was slightly annoyed when Harry dropped down next to Willow, trying to catch the other girl's eye. Willow appeared to be ignoring him though, something Harry wasn't used to.

He felt even more annoyed when Blaise Zabini left the hall alone. Willow quickly swallowed the rest of her coffee and said, "I'll see you in Potions, Keir," before running to catch up with him.

"Hey!" she shouted.

He turned around, running a hand through his longish hair, which had been left out of its ponytail today.

She paused; he really was entrancingly handsome. "I need to ask you something."

"Oh?" he asked, arching one eyebrow playfully. He was trying to goad her, and she wasn't going to fall for it. Not this time.

"Why me?" Willow asked, her high-heeled boots clicking across the marble tile as she approached him, lightning flickering in the distance, followed by a slow rumble of thunder. "Why hurt me?"

"It was one of Draco's sick games," Blaise said, not meeting her cool gaze. "You know how he is--"

"But you," she said coldly. "You would have hurt anyone close to Harry, wouldn't you have?"

He was moving from foot to foot now, blushing slightly. "No, I wouldn't," he said off-handedly.

"What about Parvati Patil, Blaise, huh?" she asked, her voice echoing through the small entrance hall. "Just when I thought you could sink no lower. It wasn't to play some sick, twisted game with Draco... it was this whole competition that's been going for years between Draco and Harry. Draco wants what Harry has, and he can't ever get it unless his faithful lapdog gets it for him. Am I right? Answer me. Answer me!"

Her voice was full of cold hatred and pain now. She circled around him, her arms crossed.

"But it didn't work, did it?" she demanded, answering his silence with more anger. "This time the price was too high. You couldn't have known Harry's true intentions, so you must have wanted to hurt Keira, who has been a thorn in your side since, when... never? What was in this game for you?"

"You were," he said quietly.

Willow shook her head. "No, I wasn't!"

"Yes," Blaise said, rushing her suddenly and taking her by the shoulders. "You were. You, Willow. You. You. You."

Willow ripped herself from his grip. "Right. I was just some sleazy 'ho looking for a good time. Like that would ever happen..."

"No," Blaise said forcefully. "You said it yourself, didn't you? The price was too high. He didn't want you hurt. He wanted you for himself."

"I hope he realizes he's never gonna get me," Willow taunted coldly, her eyes showing none of the warmth and life they usually displayed. She took a step away from him. "If he comes near me again, I'll kill him."

"You should also know that he never gives up easily," Blaise said in an uneasy voice. "He'll come for you again."

Willow grinned. It was a very cold grin. "I'd like to see what he's got."

"You wouldn't see it coming if it hit you," a cool voice said from behind her. She turned and saw Draco standing there, smirking at her. "Very cool move, Zabini. I must congratulate you."

Willow felt her gaze turning even more fiery as she turned back to look at Blaise. "You played me! Damn it, _you played me_!"

Blaise looked at her sadly, a smile twisting his lips. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," Willow said angrily as she stormed across the marble tile to glare up at Draco. "Before you try to convince yourself that I'm some whore, I want you to take a good, long look in the mirror, Malfoy. You might have to redefine a little of your face once I'm done with you." She lifted her fist and swung hard. Her fist was just about to collide with his face when a hand caught it.

"Don't," Blaise said quietly, throwing the other girl off. Willow spun in a crazy half circle before straightening, a bitter loathing flashing in her eyes.

"I think it's time you leave her alone."

Blaise let out a startled cry as he flew across the tiled floor, his hands covering his nose. A few seconds later, Draco joined them.

"You two make me sick."

It was Harry, Willow realized, jogging across the floor to meet him. "Harry, God, I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" a cool voice asked. It was Theodore Nott, along with another small group from their cult, including Leo, Crabbe, Goyle and that Kaz guy.

"You're facing an uphill battle here, Potter," Draco said coldly as he stood up again, grinning slyly and winking at Willow, who flushed and hissed out loud. Harry lifted his arm to push her back behind him before a slim arm wrapped itself around his shoulders.

"Malfoy," Keira said sweetly. "I should have known you were behind this."

"Considering your bad reputation as a lousy fighter," Aura said with a bemused smirk as she stepped up to Willow's other side.

"You've got a party of women fighting your battles now, Potter?" Draco asked with unsupressed laughter. "I have to say, your way of things is looking quite foolish, eh?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Willow said, pushing Harry's arm away and stepping in front of Aura. "I'd like to see what you got. So, bring it on, _bad boy_."

"Oh, what is with that horrible pun?" Keira groaned behind her.

Draco and the others rushed forward, charging. Out of nowhere, Ron and several of the other Summoning boys appeared. As Malfoy rushed in to strike Willow, Keira got there first, punching him across the face. When he doubled over in pain, she drew up her knee into his chest and shoved him back across the floor, blowing him a mocking kiss before she turned to see Leo standing there, gazing at her with something like awe, and not the usual heated look he sent her.

"Hi, Leo," she said with a friendly smile. "I'm giving you the chance to run away now, you coward. If you want your nose broken, I'll highly recommend--"

Aura came out of nowhere, pressing her palm up on Leo's face, causing his nose to crack and he stumbled backwards, Russian curses flowing freely from his mouth.

Harry managed to find Willow in the ensuing chaos. She was sitting on the floor, laughing. He took her by the hand and they rushed out, their book bags falling behind.

They ran, hand-in-hand, down the stairs and into the rain. Once they danced around for a few moments, they hurried to seek shelter under the awning covering the memorial from the downpour.

"I think that was my first rumble," Willow said fondly, smiling up at Harry, who tucked a lock of her dripping red hair behind her ear.

"You were incredible," he said, noticing that she was shivering. "Are you cold?"

"Just a little," she said with a hasty smile.

"It's all right," Harry said, rubbing her bare arms with his hands. She raised her gaze to meet his.

"Thank you for trusting me," she said after a moment.

"After you hit Draco, I knew I could," Harry replied, resting his forehead against hers, water dripping onto their clothing. "There's just something else I want to know..."

"What's that?" she asked him, her breath coming out in a puff of steam.

He didn't say anything. His lips found hers. Her lips opened in a gasp, which only succeeded in turning the kiss into something more fiery than she had imagined. After a moment, a blast of thunder crashed above their heads and the two were brought back to their senses.

"We should get to Potions," she said breathlessly.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand again, as they ran back through the rain and into the covered hall. Nobody was left, but their bags were still there, right where they'd dropped them. He picked up her leather bag and carried it with his own as they walked, the fingers still entwined, to Potions.

Keira was grinning broadly at them from the doorway when they appeared five minutes later, both soaking wet, but grinning broadly.

"Oh, Merlin! I was wondering when the two of you would be so thick as to unclog those heads of yours!" Keira said, throwing her arms around the girl who was quickly becoming her best friend. "Oh, Wil, you're all wet!"

"I'm not the only one," Willow said with a sly grin at Harry, who at least had the grace to blush before Ron and Hermione joined them, along with a few other students, all who looked a little worse for the wear. Ron was sporting a jaw that was quickly bruising and even Seamus had a small cut above his right eye. Parvati was with Lavender, and she was rubbing her eye socket, which was already turning purple.

Willow laughed. "Parvati?"

"Someone had to hit the son of a bitch," Parvati groaned, rubbing her eye and checking her compact mirror for what seemed like the tenth time. "It should have been me."

"I think someone just repaired her own reputation," Willow said, giving Parvati a proud smile.

"Someone definitely did," Lavender said, giving her roommate and best friend a fond look. "She sent Blaise to the hospital wing unconscious."

"So I knocked his head a few times against the column," Parvati said innocently. "It wasn't all bad."

"He got you in the eye though," Keira said sympathetically; Willow had told her Parvati's entire history with both Harry and Blaise.

"It's nothing," Parvati said, waving Keira off. Her heavily made-up eyes turned back to Willow. "Apparently, it's not all nothing for you though." Her eyes drifted over to Harry. "You've got yourself quite a catch there."

"Yeah," came a short voice. "You really have."

It was Aura. Willow felt her heart stick itself in her throat, but then she noticed that Aura was smiling at her.

"I know I should hate you because I've loved him for, like, ever, but... I can't, Wil. I think we both know why."

Willow rushed forward and hugged the taller redheaded girl. Despite her anxieties that she would seriously piss off Aura, she was relieved to know she hadn't.

When Potions began, Willow was warmed by the heat of the large lecture hall. She sat between Harry and Keira, feeling as though she were on top of the world.

At the back of the room, Draco Malfoy watched Harry and Willow darkly. He wasn't fooled, he could see the attraction clearly between the two. But he wasn't about to let her go... not by a longshot.

Next to him, Kaz was moaning, flexing his hand and swearing softly in Russian under his breath. "That bitch, Aura, did this," Kaz said angrily. "You should have seen what she did to Leo."

"I saw," Draco said darkly, his eyes still on the vivacious redhead. "Don't worry, Kaz... we'll get her back. We'll get them both back... and she's going to wish she _never_ set foot on this island..."

"That sounds like a threat," Theodore said to his left, angrily running a hand through his short, dark hair. His eyes were on Keira, and the boy sitting next to her, the idiot Longbottom. Don't worry about Rosenberg, she'll be easy enough to bed..."

"You moron," Draco said, drawing his cold silver gaze to Nott's. "Willow is not for bedding, do you hear me?"

"Whoa," Nott said, backing down. "Sorry, mate, it's just that I..."

"You were being stupid, that's all," Draco said savagely, turning back to Willow. "She_ doesn't_ deserve to be treated like a common whore... yes..." A delightfully evil grin spread across his face. "Yes, Potter... you're about to find out why Willow is _far_ too good for you... _yes_, _yes_..."

Almost as though she could feel cold eyes on the back of her head, Willow turned around to look behind her.

She didn't see anything except hundreds of eyes staring down at Professor Crieux, who was lecturing on the different usages of shape-shifting potions, like the Polyjuice Potion.

Her gaze inadvertantly met Draco's. This time, he blew her the mocking kiss.

She turned back, shivering slightly.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked next to her, sounding concerned.

"I'm all right," Willow said with a quick nod. "I'm just a little cold... that's all..."

But it was more than that. She had picked up a dark vibe. An evil vibe... someone who had loads of ill will towards her and her fellow students...

She dropped her gaze to her notebook, which she had written three words down upon: beware of purebloods. Keira was giving her a curious glance which Willow chose to ignore, focusing on Professor Crieux and the end of their Potions lecture.

- - - - -

"I can't believe he's making us read two other books!" Keira complained loudly at lunch as she, Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione sat in their usual seats. "It's not as though we have social lives to live with. No, not at all!"

"You shouldn't be complaining," Neville said cautiously, sitting down across from her. "He did give you a nice 'O' on the last Practical lab, didn't he?"

"He should have given me a zero," Keira replied, feeling pleasantly surprised by this. "I don't know why he didn't."

"I think it was Willow," Ron said quickly, helping himself to a basket of rolls before passing it along down to Hermione, who was sitting next to him. "I heard her talking to Crieux after Practical Potions on Monday and she managed to talk him into giving you the same grade we got."

"That was fair of her," Hermione said quietly as she buttered her roll.

"It was a noble thing of her to do," Harry said, a smile playing around his mouth.

"Oh, yeah, noble Willow out to win the battle of good," Aura said moodily as she dropped down on the other side of Neville.

"What's up with you?" Keira asked the other girl, concerned.

"If you haven't noticed, Isley," Aura said angrily, "we have our first public Sciocco matches coming up in about a week, and you practically mauled my team captain!"

"Oh," Hermione said, realizing this, since she was on the same team as Aura. "Draco..."

"Well, considering I knocked out our Captain," Parvati said, dropping down on the other side of Keira, "I think we're safe for now, Isley."

"And Kaz," Keira reminded her, smirking.

"And Kaz," Parvati agreed, glancing up and down the table. "Where is your shadow? She's usually here by now?"

"I have no idea," Keira said, also taking a moment to glance around the room. "I hope she doesn't find out I finished my History essay in Potions this morning."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Ron said, swallowing his stew. "So did I."

Hermione smacked his shoulder, giving him a disgusted look. "You prat!"

"Thank you, love," he said, leaning over to nuzzle her neck, mocking laughter ringing around the table.

"Thank you for all of the embarrassment," Hermione retorted, pushing Ron away from her, her nose wrinkled, her cheeks rather pink. "You're weird."

"Once again, thank you."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment."

"That's how I took it as."

"Do they always sound like this?" Keira asked, leaning over to Harry, who sat on her left.

"Always," he said with a dramatic sigh. "So, where's your shadow?"

"I wish I knew," Keira said, glancing around the hall again, feeling more worried than she knew she should be; Willow could take care of herself.

She didn't know that Willow was, at this present moment, in the hospital wing, watching over a sleeping Blaise Zabini. She felt partially responsible for landing him in the hospital. _He had been so sweet yesterday_, she thought. _Why did he have to be such a horrid jerk today?_

She took a few sad steps away, trying to cheer herself up over the prospect of eating lunch with a potential boyfriend and her group of friends.

"Wishful thinking, _Rosenberg_?"

It was Pansy Parkinson, stepping out from the shadows.

"Are you following me, Pansy? It's not very mature of you," Willow said, making to move past her, but Pansy caught her arm, swinging the other girl back.

"Don't think I don't know what those puppy eyes are for, Willow," Pansy said in a mocking voice. "You have a thing for Blaise just because he acted like the sweet trash Draco was setting him up for."

Willow felt a hot surge of anger towards the other girl and tried to swallow it down by counting silently to ten. It didn't work. "What are you after, Pansy?"

"Your reputation was obviously unscathed," Pansy said, sneering at the other girl. "But I'd watch my back if I were you, Willow. Blaise isn't the only one who has claws."

"Leave me alone," Willow said, twisting her arm from the painful grip and walking away, as Pansy's malicious laughter followed her.

"Let's see how long you last with Harry, Willow... we'll see how long!"

Willow angrily slammed the door at the end of the hall, hugging herself. While she was for the most part dry, suddenly eating lunch was no longer appealing to her. Instead, she chose to take the long walk to the History corridor. Alone.

She really liked Harry and the past few days had proven her feelings were reciprocated. His defense of her was touching, she recalled with a soft smile. He had jumped in and had saved her face. It had been exhilirating, watching all of those people jump in to her defense. Not to mention that many wouldn't seek an opportunity to kick in Malfoy's smug, pale face.

But no matter how many times she had tried to get his face from her mind, she couldn't. Those silver eyes were full of such hurt as they'd stared at each other from across the brawl. She had been laughing at the absurdity of it when Harry had pulled her away...

She heard footsteps and saw someone waiting at the doorway. To her surprise, it was Hermione.

"Hi," Willow said, running a hand through her hair and quickly passing a hand under her eyes to get rid of the few tears that had managed to leak through.

"Hey, Willow," said Hermione, falling into step with her. "Someone said you'd gone to check on Blaise... is it true?"

"I had to," Willow said defensively. "I still hate him, but he has been really nice to me. Truly, he has been."

"I believe you," Hermione said slowly, "but watch your back around him, okay? I don't trust him. Not after what he did to Parvati..."

There was more to this story, Willow realized in horror. "What? Hasn't he seen the errors of his ways enough? We have to keep adding onto the story of Blaise?" she asked sharply.

"He's hurt Harry twice," Hermione said quietly. "Harry doesn't know about the second time..."

"What, who? You?" Willow asked in disbelief.

"Not me," Hermione said with a chortle. "No... it was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister." Her mind flashed back to the scene in the Three Broomsticks when Ginny had gone outside to talk to Draco Malfoy...

"Harry never told you why he and Ginny broke up, did he?"

"I didn't even know who Ginny was until you explained who she was," Willow said, feeling really confused at this point. "Could you elaborate just a teeny bit, because I--"

"Harry _loved_ her more than anything," Hermione cut in. "She'd been in love with him since she laid eyes on him before she even went to Hogwarts. After Parvati and Harry split up, Ginny could finally be with Harry. But Blaise taunted her, too... yes..." she continued, seeing the look of horror on Willow's face. "She told me everything. He didn't seduce her as easily as he had Parvati, but it was close enough to be considered cold and ruthless... Blaise has a blood fued with Harry, and I have to say, Willow... you would make such a lovely prize for the boy. Not to mention it would satisfy Draco's lust for--"

"Blaise said the price was already too high," Willow blurted out.

"What?" Hermione asked in a startled echo of a voice.

"He said that the price was too high," Willow replied quickly. "He said that Draco cared about me too much."

"Draco Malfoy..." Hermione said, clapping a hand over her mouth in horror. "Oh, no..."

"I'm afraid so," Willow said uncaringly, "but since I really don't care about such things, I don't really see what the problem--"

"Willow, listen to me," Hermione said, taking the other girl by the arm and pulling her into a dark corner around the hallway from their History class. "Draco likes you, okay, he likes you. He has the ability to go all psycho for a girl. These twisted games weren't meant for you."

"They were meant for Keira," Willow said quickly.

"Even so, you have to watch your back around the whole lot of them," Hermione cautioned, half of her face hidden in shadow. "He'll be coming for you, Willow. If you think anything about Blaise has scared you... you haven't seen or heard nothing yet."

Willow shuddered slightly at Hermione's words. "I... I'll try... thanks, Hermione."

Hermione gave her a comforting smile as the two walked around the corner to meet the rest of their classmates, who had gathered in front of the doors.

"Hey!" Harry said, moving to wrap an arm around Willow's shoulders and kiss her cheek. "I missed you at lunch!"

Willow gave him an endearing smile. "Lunch really isn't my thing," she said, desperately ignoring the looks Keira was sending her.

It wasn't until they were seated did Keira lift up her quill, lean over, and write on Willow's pad, _'Where were you?_'

Willow obligingly sent her scroll and Keira's down to Harry, who continued to pass their homework down the row. Turning back to her pad, she wrote out, _'Wasn't hungry'_.

Keira's writing was fast and furious. _'Not hungry? Where were you, really?_'

'_Zabini_', Willow wrote regretfully.

Keira turned to her with a look that suggested Willow was out of her mind. Her next written message confirmed it. _'Are you out of your bloody mind?_'

_'I'll let you know'_.

"Oh, Willow!" Keira moaned next to her.

Unfortunately, they were pulled back to the present as their History of Magic professor started lecturing again on the last Egyptian Wizards, smirking slightly at the intense level of late-teenage hormones circling the room.

University students really were such a wonder, after all...

- - - - -

Chapter 11... to be determined as of yet. This fic is now officially on hold until I write the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed this longer chapter to tide you over till then.

Okay, so the fight was a little juvenille, but it allowed Willow and Harry to connect on a new level. And Willow got to play a few seconds of Faith... which, speaking of the she-devil... hehehe.

I have so many ideas on which direction this fic could take. If you feel like inspiring me, go for it. I'm open to ideas. I'm just hoping you like the fact it's not really a twisted piece of junk anymore. I like it now... it's my friend... right. Ahem.

Well, I should respond to my reviewers...

**Village-Mystic** -- you so totally rock. Thank you for taking the time to read and review the chapters you have done. I redefined the story a bit, because it really wasn't agreeing with me a lot. Willow's point of view has been added in a bit, but I included others, too. If it was all Willow, it'd be biased. And since I didn't just take Willow out of her world and plunk her into this one, well... I don't know. Hopefully you're still liking what you read!

**TaiOokamiYoukai** -- This is quite an unconventional crossover that started as a birthday fic and turned into something I wasn't sure I liked until I made it fun. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this update! :)

**lost**** angel92** -- Wish granted. :)

**Mixer** -- Thank you. I like Keira, too, but I'll be using other OCs soon enough, so Keira doesn't turn into a Mary Sue. I'm glad you're enjoying this!

**meganw** -- Willow and Draco, hmmm? I can see potential there, but I think having this sort of relationship works better, don't you think?

**CapriceAnn** -- I hope you're still enjoying this. It isn't updated nearly as much as it should be... because all of my attention is focused on the other one. Oh, well!


	11. Into the Pale Light

Author's Note: Birthday gift sealed, delivered and approved. Mission accomplished. Hope you enjoy.

_This chapter is for Katrina. It was her idea to use the "stupid boy" gene. With two brothers (and a brand-new brother-in-law), I know how it is..._

- - - - -

**Chapter 11 **

**Into the Pale Light**

- - - - -

The rest of the week passed without incident, unless you counted the minor scuffles in the hallways between warring factions. That's how Willow saw it anyway. There were people. They didn't agree. They used wands. And there was blood.

Keira was one of the most loathed people in her old House. She really didn't care, since her allegiance, should she call it that was with Willow and Harry. She wanted them to stay strong, so she volunteered to be the bodyguard. Aura, who was quite a bit taller and more vicious when it came to hexing, took up the rear somewhat reluctantly.

Blaise was slowly recovering under the watchful eyes of the rest of his House. No one from the pure-blood cult really wanted any tainted people around him. Even when Willow showed up out of pure sympathy, they gave her an earful, insulted her, and then turned her away.

She wasn't about to argue. Those damned dragons never played fair.

"Don't take it personally," Keira told her on Saturday as they were sitting on the grassy hill over the Quidditch pitch. It was a warm, glorious day, one of the few left of the year, Keira told her. "They're just a bunch of dopes."

Willow rolled her eyes and stared at her Potions work before her, rubbing her eyes warily. "I'm just getting sick and tired of their holier-than-thou 'tudes, you know? There's only so many times I'll take being called a Mudblood before I go postal and hex them all. Without my wand."

"That'd be pretty wicked, Wil," Keira said with a grin. "I'd love to see that slimy Malfoy get his."

Willow smiled her dark smile. "If he forces my hand... I'll do it. Just let me know when he comes after you, okay?"

"What?" Keira asked, nearly dropping her Potions book.

"I know that Draco and the rest of those morons are bothering you," Willow said with a testy look on her face. "You might as well get used to the fact I like protecting what's mine."

"I'm yours?" Keira asked, arching one eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," Willow said, sounding all flustered.

"I'm beginning to," Keira shot back.

"I don't like it when they mess with stuff that's mine," Willow said softly. "I'm not going to let them mess with your head like that. You're worth a hundred of those damned dragons."

"I can see this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Keira grinned, patting Willow's arm. "Now, let's go back to Potions before we both fail out."

This weekend was also a cause of celebration for many more; Quidditch season had sprung about, as their floor advisors had told them that morning before breakfast. Nearly everyone was talking about which team they'd try out for and gossiping about which the best moves were.

Harry found himself eagerly sitting down with Ron and talking Quidditch while Hermione sat next to Ron, looking bored. She was soon stopped by Parvati and Lavender. They were joined by some of their other old housemates, including Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein. They were starting to get into a really good discussion when the study room they were sitting in grew quiet suddenly.

Blaise Zabini had just walked in. His eyes were on Parvati, who straightened, suddenly looking nervous.

He wasn't alone. The rest of his group were by his side. Draco was smirking as though he owned the entire school, while Pansy clung onto his arm, looking positively excited about something. Her shiny dark hair fell into her eyes, but she made no move to brush it aside. There was a quiet hush that fell across the room. Many were looking between Blaise and Parvati, as though expecting something bad to happen

It did. Blaise stormed across the room, glaring at Parvati, who seemed to shrivel under his gaze. The rest of his group followed, expecting there to be sparkage. There was.

"You bitch," he said in a low voice.

"Excuse me?" Parvati asked in a dignified way.

"You are one worthless piece of trash, Patil," Pansy said with a breezy grin. "Had to resort to Potter's antics just to solve a little feud?"

Parvati's eyes narrowed and she stood up, facing Blaise head-on, which was quite unimpressive since she was at least a foot shorter than him. "And you're just a poor, pathetic excuse for a human being, Zabini," she said coldly, smiling at him. "When are you going to stop being such a useless lapdog and actually get a voice of your own?"

Blaise's eyes nearly bugged out in his rage as he reached a hand up as though to hit her, but her own hand went out and caught it. His other hand came quickly though and took her chin roughly so that she could see into his eyes.

"This isn't over, Patil... not by a long shot." He smirked suggestively at her. "As you were so convinced when we spent all that time together..."

Parvati shivered as he roughly let her chin go, grinning. "Leave me alone, you bastard."

"Seems like I touched a nerve," he said, bending over so that he could whisper in her ear. "I think I've touched more than that..."

She shoved him back, hard, her hands pressing against his chest. "You're sick! And disgusting!"

The rest of his group was laughing.

"Don't deny it, you little sleazy 'ho," Pansy said, adopting her newly-found street-speak. "You'll do anything to sleep with power. Wouldn't she... Harry?" Her eyes slid to the person standing behind Parvati.

Parvati jumped a little and glanced anxiously over her shoulder where Harry stood, white-faced with rage.

"I think you should leave now, Parkinson."

"Or what?" Pansy shrieked, laughing madly. "Are you going to hurt me? I thought that little heroes didn't hit girls."

"They don't," a cold voice said in her ear. "Doesn't mean I won't."

Pansy screamed as someone grabbed a fistful of her short hair and yanked it back. "Let go of me!"

Aura grinned as she spun around, dragging Pansy with her before flinging the smaller girl unnecessarily to the floor.

"I'm not afraid of a little white trash like you," Aura said in her heavy accent, grinning broadly at the indignant, sputtering heap that was Pansy on the ground. "Mind your own business, you little--"

"I don't think you want to finish that sentence, Starr," another voice said. Aura turned and smiled sweetly at Leo.

"Do you want me to break your nose again? I'm quite good at it... I might add a crushed skull while you're asking for it."

Leo immediately backed away.

Aura then turned her fury on Blaise, who just stared at her as though he'd never seen anything like her. "And you!" she shouted, walking right up to him and jabbing him in the chest with her index finger. "You are one disgusting, perverted pig! If you had any sense whatsoever, you'd castrate yourself!"

Parvati snorted behind the hand she'd cupped over her mouth.

Blaise seriously looked put out, glaring at Aura, who had enough height to her so that he wasn't looking down on her. He was looking across. She had to be one of the tallest women he'd ever met.

"Get the hell out of here. Now."

Blaise lifted his hand and walked away in disgust, the others slowly moving behind him. A small-boned blonde walked from the crowd and helped Pansy to her feet, throwing a sneering look at Aura and Parvati before storming off.

All that was left in their wake was silence.

- - - - -

"You should have seen her!" Neville was telling Willow and Keira that night at dinner. "She just put that Parkinson right in her place!"

"Aura!" Willow said in surprise, turning to the taller girl sitting across from her. "I didn't know you had it in you to be so... vicious!"

Aura grinned. "I happen to enjoy keeping the peace... and Blaise was being a total bastard."

"He has those qualities, doesn't he?" Keira murmured. She turned to Parvati, who was sitting snugly between Seamus and Dean. "I don't suppose we could trade him for some other poor misfit," she said, cocking her head in Willow's direction.

Parvati gave her a sweet smile. "It'd be nice, but I don't think we're that lucky. I already spoke with Professor Gabon. We're stuck with him. And he's still team captain."

"Damn it," Keira swore, earning a sharp jab in the ribs from the elbow of Willow, who was looking at her incredulously. "What? Like you've never heard me swear!"

Willow just rolled her eyes and went back to her steak-and-kidney pie.

"You doing all right?" Harry asked her quietly.

"Yeah," she said with a tight smile. "I'm good."

But she put her fork down and wiped her mouth on a napkin. Standing up, she lifted her small stack of books and stepped away from both Keira and Harry.

"Where are you going?" Keira asked her. "I thought we were going to--"

"I'm just... back to my room... it's a little... never mind." That said, Willow swept off.

Across the room, Draco Malfoy smiled triumphantly.

Willow was halfway back to the dormitory when a slow voice held her back. She turned to see Blaise Zabini sitting by himself on a bench underneath a bright torch light.

She suddenly found she couldn't speak.

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here."

Willow nodded.

"I just felt like I should apologize."

Willow opened her mouth. He quickly put his hand over it. She glared daggers up at him, but still he ignored her.

"You're a nice girl, Willow, if such a thing ever existed."

She stopped resisting then; her jaw had dropped open.

"I think you and Potter make a great couple," he said sincerely. "Just watch your back around him. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Willow managed to force his hand away this time. "What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes narrowed in polite bewilderment.

"He's not as innocent as everyone seems to think he is... Saint Potter, my ass." He gave her a rueful smile before bending down and kissing her cheek. "I heard you came to visit me."

"I'm sorry she knocked you out," Willow said, and she genuinely meant it. Blaise was about the only person from Draco's little throng of friends she could tolerate.

"Yeah, she's a feisty one... I have to give her that much." Blaise ran a hand through his hair and gave her a parting smile. "Keep your chin up, Little Red. Don't let Malfoy get you down."

"One more thing," Willow said as Blaise wandered away. He turned back to look at her. "If Draco uses you to play me again, I will make you both very, very sorry."

Inside the cafeteria, almost everyone was talking about the huge party being thrown that night on the Quidditch pitch. Tryouts for the new year were tomorrow and there were going to be six teams.

"You ever play Quidditch?" Harry asked Keira as he started in on his apple tart.

Keira shook her head. "I'm really not all that coordinated on a broomstick. You should ask Wil, though. She's got herself a nice racing broom."

Parvati brightened from across the table. "That's what Padma said!"

As one large, chattering group, they went down to the party.

Willow sat in her room, staring at the empty space, listening to the sounds of laughter and singing on the grounds below. She really wasn't in any mood for any party, whatsoever. For some odd reason, Harry's defense of his ex-girlfriend got to her. Maybe it was because she shared a room with Parvati's twin sister.

She rested her head on the pillow, feeling a little depressed. It had been nearly a month since she'd last seen Buffy and Xander. It would be awesome to invite them up for a trip, but would they visit?

They might actually like some of her newer friends. Buffy would get a kick out of Keira, that was for sure. They had a lot in common. Both were determined and a bit strong when it came to their language and their methods. It'd be a great pair. Xander would more than likely get along better with Hermione or Padma, the two bookworms of the floor. His goofy charm could win all of the girls over, including Keira.

Willow was thinking a lot about Keira lately. Not in a real weird way, but in a friendly way. She was the closest thing to a true friend in England. And this new thing with Harry was just beginning, but as soon as it began, another torch was lit somewhere else. She knew she shouldn't feel jealous, but she did.

Willow had always been the underdog. She'd always lost to the more popular girls. Losing Xander to Cordelia had been that dagger in her heart, and she'd carried a torch for him for a very long time. How hard was she going to have to fight to keep someone like Harry central in her life?

Buffy's voice came floating back to her. "Why waste time being all shy and worrying about some guy, and if he's gonna laugh at you. Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead."

Willow smacked her thighs with her fists and sat up. It was time to stop the pity party. Willow Rosenberg wasn't the type of girl who just sat in her room dreaming of adorable guys at her beck and call. She was the type of girl who acted rashly, at times. Well, within modest reason.

She pulled open her wardrobe, grinning when she finally found it. It was the outfit from the Halloween party two years ago. She quickly pulled off her blouse and trousers and stepped into the form-fitting skirt and top. This could potentially push all thoughts of modesty one trip too far.

Slipping on a pair of accompanying boots, Willow surveyed herself in the mirror. It sniggered appreciatively. Willow kissed the mirror, and then turned around, playing with her hair.

Twenty minutes later, Willow was walking onto the Quidditch pitch, glancing around the stands of the enormous stadium. "Wow," she breathed.

A hundred people were flying on broomsticks above her, tossing the quaffle back and forth. Obnoxious music pored from the large speakers set up on the six towering pedestals that she knew housed fans. A hundred more people were on the green and in the pure white sand, dancing, talking, drinking and having the time of their lives.

Keira was sitting on the grass with a few of the other girls, including Padma Patil, when her eyes caught someone moving towards them. Her jaw dropped. "Whoa, Potter... check out your girl."

Harry turned. His eyes widened and a deep red flush crept to his face.

Hermione gasped from next to him. Even Ron looked amused.

"Merlin's beard," Neville choked from Harry's opposite side.

"Hi," Willow said, walking up to Harry and looping her arms around his neck, drawing his face to hers and capturing his lips.

It took Harry all of one startled second to respond.

After a moment, they broke apart and Willow grinned at Keira's flabbergasted face. "Hey, Keir... what's up?"

"Uh..."

Willow grinned at her. "Like it?" She twirled a moment. She was beginning to gain more attention by the moment. "It was a Halloween costume."

"Oh, good," said Keira, looking immensely relieved. "Here I thought you were just dying to be a village tramp for a night."

Willow stuck her tongue out as she dropped down next to Keira. Harry was still staring at her, until Hermione elbowed him. "Get her a drink?" she whispered.

"Oh... right." He hurried off.

Hermione eased herself onto the grass on Willow's right-hand side. "Nice outfit," she commented dryly. "Just when I thought you didn't have anything that could surprise us."

"Look at them!" Padma shrieked, pointing to the stunned look on Pansy's face and the faces of her friends surrounding her. "They look like they've seen a ghost!"

"Funny you should mention that," Willow said, choking slightly as Harry returned, handing her a plastic glass that kept changing colors. She took a sip of juice and moved over so that he could sit next to her.

Across the pitch, Draco Malfoy touched down, setting his Firebolt aside. He'd seen her walk onto the field looking so devilishly delicious... and yet she wasn't his to play with. He would have claimed her in a second if she'd just done what she'd do to Potter. He would have put her on the ground right then and there...

She was sitting next to Isley again. Damn it. Did those two have to be joined at the hip?

He noticed the expression on Pansy's face then; grudging respect. He had to laugh at that. He knew she didn't really like Willow because of the fact the redheaded vixen preferred to spend her time around Keira. And Pansy despised Keira. She didn't care much about Aura, either, since their catfight that afternoon.

"Check out Potter's girl, Malfoy," Pansy said, dragging her small crowd of girls over to him. He noticed one of them staring hard at him and sneered at her. She brushed aside her mane of wild blonde hair and returned the sneer.

"Who's that?" he asked, nudging Pansy and pointing to the sneering girl.

"She's Roz from Oz," Pansy said, rolling her eyes. "Technically, she's Rozalynn from Brisbane, but she seems to think she's some kind of comedian. She lives across the hall from me."

Draco turned his eyes to the girl and met her piercing blue ones.

"What's she do?"

"Sings, I think," Pansy said with a slight frown. "At least, we think it's her bellowing in the shower every bloody morning." She threw a scornful look in the girl's direction. "She's about as sweet as a pit viper... so watch your back around her."

"I think she likes playing your shadow," Draco smirked.

Pansy glared at him before smacking the back of his head with her hand. "Clean out your thoughts Malfoy, or I'll have to do it for you."

Draco noticed that most of his gang of friends were turning their attention to the new blonde of the group now. Roz was taking ample opportunity to flaunt the attention by showing off her well-placed curves.

"I hate comedians," Draco said coldly. Blaise was giving the girl an appreciative glance, and it wasn't one Malfoy really liked.

"Hmmm," Pansy said, threading her arm through his. "I think you have a thing for redheads though."

"It used to be blondes," Draco sneered, glaring at the girl who just danced up to Blaise and Leo looking rather suggestive. "Does she have to be that obvious?"

Pansy rolled her eyes and tucked a lock of short, dark hair behind her ear. "She's as open as they come... considering the traffic around her room."

"Really..." Draco mused, his silvery eyes sliding over the many heads to settle on a certain redhead and her scarheaded potential boyfriend. "Think she'd go for someone famous?"

"And pull such an obvious Aura?" Pansy asked with a shrill laugh. "I suppose it's worthy of a try..."

"You're actually warming up to the fact I like Willow?" Draco asked her in surprise.

Pansy gave him a pretty shrug, her eyebrow lifting comically. "I got over you a long time ago, Drake."

"With who?" Draco smirked, glancing around their circle of friends. "Who could possibly share the one bed I've been so privileged to own these past two years?"

Pansy grinned at him. "You'll find out soon enough, pet." She patted his arm and threw a glare at Roz, who was trying to get the others in the group to dance. Little did she realize that by playing with a dragon, you played with fire, and most of Draco's friends stared at her as though she had two heads while remaining as immobile as statues.

"Get rid of her," Draco said to Pansy. "She doesn't belong in our group. She's probably a little pick-me-up for Keira."

"Speaking of pick-me-ups," Pansy said with a slight giggle, "look who is coming this way." She gently nudged Draco forward. "Go on, silly. Make her pay for ever turning you down."

Draco felt as though his voice couldn't work as he noticed Willow standing by the punch table, which was nearly twenty feet away. Strands of red hair were falling into her face, making her seem much more innocent than the thoughts he was having about her.

"Hi," he managed to choke out as she gasped, straightening, her punch spilling all down the front of his robes and her top.

"Oh... crap!" she muttered, quickly setting the glass down and turning to find something to wipe up her mess with. "I'm so sorry, Malfoy... I didn't see you coming..."

"It's all right," he said with a sigh, finding a towel and quickly wiping away the traces of the strawberry punch.

"I'm such a klutz," she said, taking the towel from him and setting it aside.

"Is there a problem here?"

Draco turned and flushed a slight shade of pink when he realized it was Potter and Weasley. The two of them were double-teaming Willow, probably to prevent what Draco had been about to do.

"If I had one, you'd know about it," he shot back before turning away.

"You're all wet," Harry said, chuckling as Willow glanced down at herself with a wail.

"I know!" she said with a sniffle. "I'm sticky strawberry grossness!"

Ron gave Harry a sharp look and Harry, not really understanding, turned to Willow with a cough. "Uh... want me to walk you back to your... room?"

She glanced up at him so quickly Harry just about ran away from her. "Would you?" she asked softly.

Ron practically had to shove Harry at her. As the two walked off, Hermione came up beside him, handing him a glass of firewhiskey. "That was a far nobler thing you did than I think she would ever realize," she said quietly.

"The guy's too chicken to do it himself," Ron said dryly.

"I never knew you were the romantic type."

"Me? Yeah, right... shows how well you know me."

"Well, you did something to deserve me, right?"

"Hell, after six years of fighting and bickering, I earned you."

She smacked his shoulder, rolling her eyes. "Ronald Weasley! Sometimes I don't know why I bother--"

He cut her off by kissing her so hard it nearly threw her off balance. Her drink fell to the grass as he dipped over her, finally pulling her up with him so they could both breathe.

And, for once, Hermione was at a loss for words.

The walk back to Willow's dormitory was relatively quick. Ten minutes after, she walked out, wearing something that made Harry's mind fog out all over again.

"Want to take a walk?" she asked him, wrapping a light black shawl over her shoulders. He nodded, since he couldn't trust his voice to work properly. She took his hand and led him towards the bank of elevators. A few minutes later, they were strolling through the gardens.

"You looked amazing tonight," Harry finally said once he'd un-stuck his throat.

"Thanks," Willow said with a giggle. "That was my Halloween costume two years ago... when I was a ghost. A real ghost."

"You turned into a real ghost?"

"Living where I did turned me into one, so, yeah. Evil magic." She grinned at him and he felt the heat rush back into his face. "I don't suppose you'll be trying out for Quidditch tomorrow."

"It's in my blood," Harry said. "Besides, it's my last chance to play before I work for the rest of my life."

"I suppose," Willow said slowly. "Two sports sounds like an awful lot of work though. You probably won't be having much time for other things..."

"I don't suppose I will," Harry said quickly, thinking enthusiastically about playing Quidditch again and completely missing the hurt look on her face. He looked up at her in surprise as she pulled her hand out of his and walked a few paces away, looking sad. "What? Are you all right?"

"I'm going to be honest with you, just this once," she said, turning to face him. He was startled to see that she was crying. Was something bad about to happen? Oh, Merlin, how little experience he'd had here! Hermione would know what to do, but even then he'd have to run for it...

"I like you, Harry," she said with a sad smile. "But I've fought wars with my heart before. I'm not going to try to win over your heart when it belongs to someone else or something else... like Quidditch. So, I think it might be best if we just end it here and go away before I do something I'll completely regret."

"What are you talking about?" he asked as she brushed a few tears away. "Willow, we've been seeing each other maybe six days."

"I know how much you love the sports, Harry. I don't want to compete with that. I can't. I'm nothing special. I don't know how to compete on that sort of level," she said, the tears flowing a little more rapidly now.

Harry just stared at her, completely flabbergasted. "I didn't... I don't... that's not what I meant!"

She reached out a hand and touched his face. "I don't know why I keep doing this to myself," she said with a sad chuckle as she kissed him. Then she pulled back and disappeared into the night.

And Harry still had no idea what had happened.

- - - - -

Quiddich tryouts were to be held at eleven on Sunday. Harry and Ron were there by nine, along with a rather large queue of other students. Since at most forty two would be chosen, having two hundred there to compete for coveted spots was exhilarating.

In Willow's dormitory, the air wasn't that of excitement or thrill. Willow hadn't been able to sleep much, finally falling asleep around daybreak. She looked terrible when Padma woke her at a quarter to eleven.

"I just thought you'd want to come with us and watch the tryouts," Padma said quietly.

Willow gave her a tight smile. "Sorry... I think I'll just camp out here and do homework."

"Homework? Above Quidditch? You must be mad!" Padma said, aghast. The door burst open and Parvati and Lavender came in with Hermione at their heels. Aura was towering above all three of them, dressed in their House's colorful scarves and hats.

"Ready?" Aura chirped excitedly. "We didn't have much chance to play Quidditch where I came from... so this is exciting!"

Hermione saw the look on Willow's face and frowned. "Go on, guys."

"You sure?" Lavender asked.

"Yeah, shoo!" Hermione said with her motherly smile. Once everyone else, including Padma, had left, she turned to look at Willow, her eyes darkening in concern.

"Are you okay? Are you sick? Can I get you some breakfast?"

"I'm all right," Willow said quickly, pointing at the window. "Just go, Hermione. Please?"

"All right," Hermione said slowly, rising. "But I'll be back later to check up on you, okay?"

Willow nodded, not really trusting her voice. Hermione gave her a quick smile before disappearing.

Reaching over, she grasped the framed photograph of Xander, Buffy and herself and held it lovingly. She had never missed her best friends more. And whatever there was with Harry had been over before it even started. She had been foolish to think she could compete with his athletic responsibilities. He was a hero, for crying out loud. She didn't deserve that. She didn't need it, either.

It still made her miserable though.

By two o'clock, the last twenty spots were being filled, since Seekers were the hardest positions to fill. Harry had his in the bag, as did Draco, but their competitiveness had reached a ferocity unbeknown to any of the foreign students.

As he touched down after his final flight, he saw Ron standing next to Hermione, his head bent to hers, looking confused.

"That was wonderful, Harry!" Keira said, waving their House flag at him as she joined them, looking around. "Where's Willow?"

"She didn't come?" Harry asked in surprise, looking about.

"She looked terrible," Hermione said quietly. "She looked really bummed about something."

"What did you say to her last night?" Keira asked suddenly.

Harry explained what he'd said and how she reacted. He wasn't exactly expecting both Hermione and Keira to clasp their hands over their mouths in horror and exchange a dark look.

"That was so the kiss of death, Harry," Keira said in an undertone.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused. Even Ron looked slightly perplexed.

"You're an idiot!" Hermione blasted. Harry turned to her in shock. "I mean, no you're not... well, really you are! You just broke up with her!"

"I... I did?" Harry asked, feeling his heart start to sink.

"You told her you didn't think spending time with her was worth all of your extracurricular activities!" Keira said, stamping down her foot. "Damn it, Harry! Why'd you do that for?"

"I didn't know I had," he said faintly.

"You'd better go and clear this up quickly before she does something stupid," Keira said, looking really worried now. Was this why Draco was so happy around them all today?

"You wouldn't want Malfoy to move in," Ron agreed, looking as worried.

Harry didn't know what to think. He'd basically just turned away from her coldly without even considering how this would hurt her feelings... damn! He wish he had some ounce of sensitivity, but even that seemed to be asking for too much.

He tore away from his friends, running as fast as he could toward their House. Once he reached Willow's room, he opened the door. He was expecting her to be there, but the room was quite empty. Pulling out his wand and stripping off his Quidditch robes, he grinned. He was going to surprise her.

Willow, it turned out, had finally come to Quidditch tryouts after all. She was just leaving the stands when Pansy Parkinson walked over to her. "Hey, Rosenberg! We heard what happened with Scarhead. Don't shed too many tears."

"What... what do you mean?" Willow asked, feeling lost. She looked like a little lost puppy dog with her sad eyes and vacant expression.

"I'm just saying you could do so much better than that clueless git."

"Like what?" Willow was starting to get agitated now.

"Draco," Pansy said with a triumphant smile. "He doesn't know what happened... or at least I think he doesn't know. He's got the biggest crush on you."

Willow sighed. "I thought he might."

Pansy's smile widened. Merlin, this redhead was clueless, even if she was quite a dish. "Come on, Willow. You're coming with us tonight. We're going to make you forget such a pathetic scarhead ever existed."

"What do you mean?" Willow asked apprehensively.

"You'll see," Pansy said, her smile broad and genuine. "You'll see."

- - - - -

After her fifth shot of alcohol, all bets were off.

For some odd reason, sitting in Keira's old dorm room with her detested roommate and the rest of her gossiping bunch was a bit of a relief. She found that they didn't grate on her nerves as much as Parvati and Lavender did about their brainless gossip. No, Pansy was made of tougher stuff than that.

The first person she noticed though was Rozalynn. She had been jeered and leered at enough by Pansy's group, so Willow automatically took a liking to her. It was a bad move on her part, especially since they were playing some sort of Wizarding shot game. All the rum was going straight to her head and it was making her feel sleepy and stupid.

They were also staring at her, waiting for her to contribute her own answer to their version of Truth or Dare, only the penalty was two more shots of rum and possibly a third of firewhiskey. Willow turned slightly pink as she looked away.

"Werewolf," she muttered with a grin.

Pansy shrieked and the other girls exchanged wild high gives and high-pitched laughter.

"Was he your first?" Pansy asked casually as she bit into an apple slice she'd dipped into chocolate.

Willow was bright red now, but for some reason, her mouth had separated itself from her brain. "Aye," she said dolefully, before bursting into giggles. "Oh... their stamina..."

Millicent Bulstrode, a tall, square-shouldered girl with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes, choked into her own rum and set her shot glass aside. "Kind of makes Professor Lupin look more..."

"Available?" Pansy asked delicately as she swallowed her bit of apple. "Hardly."

"Ignore them," another dark-haired girl said with a chortle. She poured herself another shot of firewhiskey before tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. "I think werewolves are kind of... sexy. In that really evil, devilish way."

Willow grinned at her. "Exactly how I feel."

The game went on well into the night. Finally, Willow was so tipsy she forced herself to walk downstairs, only to fall down a half flight.

"What have they done to her?" a voice asked in mock horror.

Willow tried to open her eyes, but the light was far too bright. She tried to speak, but it was obviously too much to ask her numb lips to move.

"Is she drunk?" It was a sharp female voice, completely unfamiliar.

"Ugh," Willow moaned, trying to sit up. A gentle pair of hands steadied her and she found herself squinting into a pair of silver eyes. "Dragon?" she muttered foolishly.

"She's drunk," Draco said with a sigh. "I should probably take her back to her room..."

"You should," said another familiar male voice. Willow turned her head and saw a blurry brown head. She smirked, giggling nonsensically. Before she could begin to protest, she felt strong arms lift her into the air. The giggles died and she swooned, trying to wrap her arms around her hero's neck, but failing miserably as she almost tipped backwards out of his arms.

"You'd better hold onto her tight," came a voice heavily accented in Russian. "She looks like she could keel over at any moment."

Willow felt her body moving as though she were floating on a cloud. She didn't really come to until she heard a sharp female voice and felt her body slowly sinking. Opening one eye, she saw a dark-haired girl shouting at the blonde-haired boy. He must've been the one who'd carried her to... she was in the study room. It was far too big to be her own room.

She started giggling again as she sat up. She found herself being dragged to her feet and moved impishly towards the staircase.

"Where was she?" the voice on her left asked.

"Malfoy said something about a game," the voice on her right replied bitterly.

"Poor Harry."

"Poor Harry? Poor me! I have to deal with a drunk roommate!"

"Well, he did sort of break up with her last night," the voice on her left said gingerly.

"Scarhead stupid," Willow slurred, grinning.

"Oh, crap," the voice on her right said with a sigh.

A door in front of them opened and Willow pitched face-first onto the fifth floor of their dormitory.

"What's going on?" another voice asked as Willow heard the sound of a door open far away.

"Is Harry still in our room?" Padma Patil's voice asked.

"You'd better get him out here," came Keira Isley's voice.

A few moments passed. Then, "What the bleeding hell happened to her?"

"You don't want to know," Padma said darkly.

Willow felt herself being lifted in the air again and started giggling, humming tunelessly under her breath.

"She's kind of drunk," Keira said sadly. "Although how or why, I don't--"

"That bitch."

"What?" Everyone was speaking now, and the voices were giving Willow a headache.

"Pansy Parkinson," came another familiar female voice. "She swooped down and dragged our Willow away. I bet she got her drunk and then sent her on her merry way."

"We'll take care of Pug-face later," Keira said firmly. "Harry, could you?"

Willow was moving again, and felt herself being gently set down on a warm, comfortable surface. "Scarhead stupid," she muttered under her breath as she reached up her arms and threaded them around a very masculine neck.

She felt hands tugging at her arms, trying to loosen the grip, but Willow pulled the neck towards her and felt in the darkness with her lips. After she finally met a pair of very masculine lips, she started kissing them, until she heard shrill laughter from the doorway and dropped her arms. "My Scarhead," she mumbled, before passing out.

Harry was rather pink as he closed the door behind him. He turned to Aura, who stood there, her arms crossed, looking angry.

"What happened?" Keira asked delicately.

"She's not really herself right now," Harry said, trying to brush the matter aside.

"I hope she doesn't remember too much tomorrow or there'll be hell to pay," Aura said angrily. Keira silently agreed with her.

"What's going on?" Parvati asked, walking down the hallway, wrapped in a thick woolen blanket.

"Never mind," Hermione said quickly, trying to clear the hallway so that people could sleep. It was nearly midnight as it was. "Just go back to bed."

But Lavender was walking into the hallway, blinking under the bright lights.

Harry, looking extremely uncomfortable, bade them all a good night and quickly ran towards the sixth floor, where he lived.

It had been a very unusual night.

- - - - -

Willow woke up the next morning to the sound of something screeching in her ear. It took her about a minute to figure out it was their alarm clock, signaling that Potions began in just one hour.

Rolling over, she pulled a pair of robes to her face and snuggled into them. They just smelled so delightfully warm... and... robes? What was she doing with a set of robes?

Willow sat up straight, regretting her decision almost immediately. Her head ached with the effort, and her stomach gave a great jolt. These were Quidditch robes on the bed. And she was dressed in the same outfit she'd worn yesterday when she...

Holy crap, Willow thought to herself. How much did she drink?

Enough, she realized as she stumbled onto the floor, clutching her comforter. It was enough to make her nauseous.

The door opened and Padma stepped through, carrying a small white bag and a white paper cup. "I brought you some tea and a muffin," she said, setting the food aside and helping Willow get back into bed. "If you want to cut Potions, one of us can take notes for you. It looks like you had a hell of a lot of fun last night."

"I don't know what it was," Willow said, massaging her forehead. "Damn."

Padma quickly moved to her train case and tipped two small pills into her hand before giving them to Willow. "It's just a basic Muggle remedy," she explained at Willow's skeptical look. "I'm not trying to poison you."

Willow gave her a grateful smile before taking the pills and opening the bag, letting out a tiny squeal. "You're the best, Padma."

Harry was waiting for Willow outside of Potions a half hour later. He looked extremely surprised to see Padma and Keira in conversation as they approached him.

"She's not coming," Padma explained when Harry asked where her roommate was. "She's sort of... hung-over. Big time."

Harry gave them both an impatient look. Before he knew what he was doing, he was running out of the hall and back outside, in the fog, towards the dormitories. He reached Willow's room at exactly five past nine.

Knocking, he opened the door and found her standing there in nothing but a bright red towel. She turned and gasped, clutching the towel even tighter to herself.

"For the love of God, Harry, close the door!"

He tried to make a coherent noise, but nothing came out. He just closed the door and tried to calm his thoughts. He had to talk to Willow. He wanted her to know just how much he liked her.

It took another five minutes before she opened the door, dressed in her plaid robe. She looked exhausted, with dark rings under her eyes and she was rather pale.

"You might as well come in. If one of the floor advisors catches you here, it's both of our necks."

Harry walked in, feeling almost foolish.

"Are you okay?"

She gave him a tight smile. "I'll live." She sat down on her bed and reached for the tea her roommate had brought her. "You don't have to keep checking up on me... I'm okay. I've been through break-ups before. I'll survive. Really."

He put up his hand to quiet her, yet she kept rambling on, until he spoke over her. "Willow, stop, please? You're making me feel guilty about being such a prat."

She closed her mouth and glared at him.

He opened his mouth and continued to speak. "I really wasn't thinking when you asked me that question Saturday... what can I say? I'm an idiot, Willow... I really like you, and I feel awful about what I said..."

There was a hopeful glint in her eyes. "Are you saying that you don't want to... end things?" she asked softly, a slight smile on her face.

"No," he said with a grin, edging closer to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "I want to see where it goes from here. You are the sweetest thing since strawberries... and it's just making me..."

"I may have trashed you last night," Willow said, wincing slightly. "Wasn't exactly my fault, though. I think I slept in firewhiskey last night." She put a hand to her head and chuckled harshly. "I'll get over it."

"You sure?" he asked as he pulled her closer. She snuggled into his sweater and breathed in his scent before pausing and giggling.

"I think you left your robes here," she said, pointing to the haphazardly folded robes on Padma's neatly made bed. "I was sort of using them as a cuddle buddy this morning." She gave him an appraising sort of look then. "But I like the real version that much better."

He laughed and kissed the top of her head, feeling quite a bit better. He'd been edgy and snappish that morning, mostly to Ron and Hermione who had borne the brunt of his moodiness for the past seven years.

"Do you think we'll get into trouble if we skip Monday?" Willow yawned beneath his chin.

"I think we should get you dressed so Weasley doesn't come and kill the both of us," Harry said with a laugh.

"Do I have to?" she whined.

"I'll make you a deal," he said. "If you go to your Intro to Magic class... I'll take you out after practice tomorrow night."

She straightened and looked up at him. "You mean, like a real date?"

"Like our first date," he replied with a steady smile, crossing his fingers on the backside of her neck.

"It's a deal," she said, grinning up at him sweetly. "But that's only if you go to Practical Defense."

"You can count on it," he said, leaning down and kissing her softly.

"I think I'm going to like this deal," she grinned. "A lot."

- - - - -

Chapter 12... Willow and Harry have their first "real" date; Pansy gets what's coming to her.

Author's Notes:

This was one of the last things I wrote before leaving for Jamaica Thursday. It was sent to Grace for beta-reading. She returned it while I was gone. It's being posted today, Monday, because I wanted to get it out before it got lost.

**Cow as White as Milk** -- I really do love your handle! I think this was the last of the goofy chapters, though.

**Lisa** -- Not next chapter, but soon enough. Buffy shall be visiting, and there will be laughter and really weird hormones running around. Typical mixing of friends stuff. I don't really know who I'd hook her up with... too many males to go around.

**mary4angelus** -- Wish granted :). This was the last chapter that Draco actually hits on Willow.

**lost angel92** -- thank you dear :)

**aBeckyboo** -- Buffy, yes. Oz, maybe.

In parting... the vacation was fantastic (and there are MANY funny stories to be told), and my nice writer's break was well-needed and enjoyed. I'm waiting to post other stuff for another few weeks yet BECAUSE there's still far too much going on. But this chapter was done... so it's out of the way. The next update is probably going to be two weeks.

Also, in true parting, this story does move rather fast. It'll slow down some, I promise.


	12. The First Time's The Charm

**Chapter 12**

**The First Time's the Charm**

- - - - -

When Willow finally arrived at lunch that same day, she found several figures huddled together, whispering. She joined Keira, glancing at her friend in confusion as the other girl straightened and gave her a brilliant smile. "Look who finally decided to join the land of the living!" she said cheerfully.

Aura, Parvati, Lavender, Hermione and a few others were all looking at Willow as though she'd grown a few extra heads or something. Frowning, she tucked into her stew and asked, "What?"

"Nothing," said Aura, blinking at her as she returned to her lunch. "Nothing at all."

But Willow had spent enough time being shunned like this in high school. Staring indignantly at all of the girls, she turned to her Potions text and propped it up against the bowl in front of her, ignoring the girls who wouldn't tell her heads or tails of what was going on.

Keira seemed to notice the tension in Willow immediately and sighed. The poor girl. First Pansy Parkinson had taken advantage of the little redhead. Twice. And then the girl misses Potions, a crucial lesson if ever there were any, since Professor Crieux went on (and on and on) in great detail about the Potion they would be constructing that night in their practical lesson.

She was sore from Practical Defense, too. Their first match was on Wednesday night, and this she wasn't looking forward to. Although Parvati was on her team, so was Blaise, and he was as anti-Keira as anyone else in their pure-blood cult group. At least Keira had someone who related to her though, and found Parvati's company to be not as annoying as she once thought it was.

The truth was, they had been planning on how to take that horrible ex-roommate of Keira's down a notch or two. The first plan was the fact that Keira's team was playing Pansy's rather under-developed team Wednesday night at eight. Their plan was to use Pansy's dragon friends to humiliate the poor girl, and Parvati was going to use herself as bait. They decided that Willow had endured enough torture being played the fool by those evil former Slytherins that Keira had vehemently opposed Willow doing anything stupid. Especially since Harry had just walked in when they started talking and began eating with a dreamy expression on his face. Obviously the misunderstanding between him and Willow had cleared up.

Willow had shown up ten minutes later, looking moody and very unhappy. Well, maybe that was because she'd been in Introduction to Magic, or else it was because she missed a very important Potions lecture. Whatever the case was, Keira felt it was either in her power or Harry's to cheer up the little American, or else Willow was going to be in History scowling at everyone. Since Harry looked perfectly happy eating his lunch while only half of the time managing to shovel food into his mouth, Keira was more than thrilled to take Willow out. The second Willow stopped eating, Keira grabbed her arm. "Let's go for a walk," she suggested.

Willow, who had spent the past fifteen minutes immersed in the text she hadn't yet foolishly read, glanced at Keira in surprise. Keira was a bookworm if she'd ever seen one. "Okay," she said slowly, tossing her napkin down on the table. Aura sent Keira a gratified expression. It would be far easier to plan the come-uppance of that Parkinson tart if Willow wasn't around. After all, this was the honor of their friend they were defending. There was nothing more noble than that.

Keira and Willow walked towards the door. Outside lay a foggy afternoon, with intermitten spurts of rain. It really was a depressing day. Seeing the somber look on Willow's face, Keira edged closer to her. "What's going on?" she asked quietly. "You feeling better?"

"I'm great," Willow said, although her voice suggested she was anything but. "I'm just... tired. I think I must've drank an entire bottle of that firewhiskey last night." She grimaced and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Willow and whiskey don't mix really well."

"I think you've learned your lesson," Keira said sympathetically. "Anyway, you can borrow my Potions notes if you're worried about your practical tonight."

"I'm really not," Willow replied with a slight smile. "After all, Ron's my partner, remember?"

"Oh! Right," Keira said, recalling this. Then she started laughing. "I should give my notes to Neville... the poor bloke doesn't know what he's doing half of the time." Her eyes grew sad. "There goes my chances to pass practical lessons."

"Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself," Willow said, giving Keira a wry look. "You're doing fine in practical lessons."

"I wonder if I could get restriction again so that you and Ron could pair with Neville," Keira wondered thoughtfully, earning a slap across her shoulder.

"Don't think that," Willow said, the somber expression returning to her face. "The last thing we need is for our Keira to get on restriction again."

Keira's face tightened. "At least I'm not living with that insufferable bitch anymore."

"That's a plus," Willow agreed. For a silent moment, they both stared out across the grounds. "Want to go to class?"

"Let's," Keira said, and the two walked back indoors and started for the History wing. "I saw Harry at lunch today."

Willow seemed to brighten. "So did I."

"Looks like you two talked," Keira said casually.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Willow asked, turning to Keira with a slightly suspicious look in her eyes. "Did you say something to him last night?"

"It was Hermione's fault," Keira admitted. "He was acting like an ass. He's a guy, Wil. They're not sensitive. They're not anything, really. He was acting like a doo-fus and we set him straight. That's all."

"I kind of got the impression he really didn't mean to say what he did," Willow said with another half-sigh as they started up the stairs. "He's adorable even when he plays captain oblivious though."

"He's just plain adorable all the way, eh?" Keira said, winking at her friend. It gained her another slap on the shoulder and she rolled her eyes and the indignant huffing noises Willow continued to make all along the corridor. They were the first to reach their classroom.

"What do you suppose we'll be assigned for this week's essay?" Willow asked as she yawned, dropping to the floor outside the closed door.

"Oh, I hope it's something interesting," Keira said, rubbing her eyes as she dropped down beside Willow. Reaching into her bookbag, she extracted her Potions notes and handed them to the girl sitting next to her. "Take these and copy them during class and I'll just give you the History notes later."

Willow shrugged as she took the parchment pad. "Thanks."

"No problem," Keira replied with a grin.

Their classmates started showing up within the next ten minutes and soon the door was unlocked as the students filtered into class.

Willow cheered up even more when Harry walked down and took the seat on the other side of her, much to Keira's delight. She barely noticed when Neville walked over and sat down on her other side, with Seamus and Dean next to him. Ron and Hermione sat on Harry's opposite side. Aura, Parvati and the other girls from lunch sat in the row behind them.

Keira grinned. It felt good to have magically-inclined friends, especially after having many years where she was looked down upon for being strange and unusual. And then there was the fact she made things happen without really meaning to. It wasn't her fault she was a witch. It just sort of came from her mother's side. Nothing to it, really.

Once the hour had passed, everyone was drowsy leaving the room.

"That was worse than Binns," Harry groaned as he stuffed his pad back in his bag. "And he was boring."

"I'll agree with you there, mate," Ron said, yawning as he rubbed at his eyes. "Did you get a load of the homework assignment? Fifteen inches on the old Wizard rebellions of the ancient Greek order... blimey!"

Hermione even looked as though she would have liked nothing more than to lean against Ron's shoulder and doze.

Willow, on the other hand, was perfectly coherent, despite the fact she'd been sleeping quite drunk. Whatever Padma had given her had helped her headache considerably. She smiled at her neatly translated Potions notes and swapped with Keira for her History of Magic ones.

Keira and Parvati then went off to practice while Willow headed straight for the Library in the company of Neville, who was looking a bit lost. Willow decided she would probably catch up better talking to someone who didn't know the material like she did. For the next few hours, they pored over research books and made even more notes about the practical potion they were to concoct that night.

"I'm doomed," Neville said after their second hour, staring at his page with his head between his hands. His eyes were looking a little forlorn.

"Don't be like that," Willow chided him gently. "Keira's a great partner and she knows what she's doing. You'll be all right."

"We have our first practical exam next week," Neville replied with a hearty groan. "We have to do those potions alone."

"It won't be bad," Willow assured him as she closed Dangerous Potions and Their Uses and stared at her own notes. "I'm pretty sure Keira and I are studying this weekend. You could come and join us."

Neville looked startled by her invitation. "I couldn't," he said, quickly dropping his eyes on his own hastily-compiled notes.

"Why not?" Willow asked with a frown, setting her quill aside. "What--" Suddenly, there was a dawning comprehension in her eyes. "You don't have to be afraid of Keira, Neville. I know that most of Malfoy's group despises her, but they can't torment you for being her partner."

Neville paled at this. "You probably know by now that I was one of the most teased people at Hogwarts besides Harry," he said quickly.

Willow gave him a sympathetic smile. "I've heard the stories," she said softly.

"Then you'll know why I can't be around Keira," he replied, looking relieved that she understood him. "I'd never hear the end of it."

"I probably never will either," Willow said with a sigh as she started tucking her notes and text back into her bag. "But you don't see them hurting me... or, wait." Her eyes darkened. "I guess I have been a rather popular target with them lately."

"You don't like all of the attention, do you?" Neville asked, her eyes wide as he stared at her.

"I never do," Willow replied sadly. "I was ignored throughout most of high school. When my best friend Buffy came, though, things changed. She was considered the height of cool in her old school, and when she transferred, I was like an instant groupie. It's nice having that again." She smiled wistfully at Neville. He was looking at her the same way Xander would when she talked like this. "You remind me a lot of my best friend, Xander," she said finally.

"I... I do?" Neville asked.

"You do," Willow said firmly as she screwed the cap on her jar of ink and tucked it inside her backpack. "Neville, you're a great man. You just have to believe you are. I can see it and I barely know you. Why can't you see it, too?"

And she rose, leaving Neville sitting there lost in his own thoughts.

Dinner was a hurried affair as many were excited to complete this potion Professor Crieux had assigned to them. Many were surprised and quite distracted when they discovered their old Hogwarts professor, Snape, would be overseeing the practical lessons. Neville looked even more pale at this, and glanced at Willow and Keira almost helplessly.

Since neither woman knew who Snape was, they felt fine as they walked up to the top of the tower. Once they were let inside their classroom, they found their usual tables.

"Howdy," Willow said, joining Ron at theirs. Her eyes lifted as she saw Neville shrink back slightly from Keira before chuckling. "Poor Neville."

"I think Keira scares the hell out of him," Ron replied, opening their practical lessons manual and ripping out the pages they had to fill out. "Should we start?"

"Oh, yes," Willow grinned, pulling out her own notes and spreading them over the table.

They had just started collecting ingredients from the storage cabinet when the door opened and a figure clothed in a long, swishing black robe entered. Willow felt Ron tense next to her and she elbowed him in the ribs and nodded at the roots he'd been ever-so-carefully shredding. He continued working, although he cast a wary eye on the Professor swooping from table to table, his face showing his clear displeasure at many of the students.

Willow actually froze when adding an ingredient to their simmering cauldron when Professor Snape stopped at the table Keira and Neville were working at.

"Miss... Isley, is it?" the man asked, looking down his hook-shaped nose and from between greasy curtains of long black hair and blinking coldly at the short, dark-haired woman standing next to the cowering, trembling mass that was Neville.

"Yes," she said coolly, setting her own knife aside and turning to Professor Snape with the expression of casual interest. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Are you aware, Miss Isley, that Mister Longbottom here has had an abysmal history of potions making and has been known to destroy and destruct many items during the process of creating potions?"

Keira twisted her lips and glanced down. But when she looked up again, her gaze was defiant. "Actually, Professor, I find Neville here quite capable of making potions. He's quite good at it, actually. He makes a mean Veritaserum."

Professor Snape's gaze hardened when he saw just how set her face was. Neville was looking at Keira as though he'd never seen anything like her before, and most of the class was staring at the pair of them, Ron and Willow included.

"Carry on," Professor Snape snapped, swooping down upon Hermione and Kaz. Hermione was looking as though she were about ready to cry, as Kaz had added lionfish scales at the exact wrong time, and copious amounts of black smoke were now issuing from their cauldron.

"Poor Hermione," Ron said quietly, watching as his girlfriend angrily started berating Kaz despite the glares and the suggestions she quit doing so as Professor Snape swooped down upon them.

Willow silently agreed as she counted out Ron's roots and added them carefully to the cauldron before sticking the ladle in Ron's hand. "Stir for two minutes counter-clockwise," she instructed as she turned to the checklist she had created and made a small mark. She then turned to their worksheet and quickly filled in the paragraph underneath Ron's scrawl of the paragraph above. Once Ron finished stirring, he set the ladle aside and turned to her list.

Little did they know that Professor Snape had now come to their table and was watching the pair like a hawk.

"Everything seems to be progressing well enough here," he said coldly, causing both Willow and Ron to jump slightly.

"Uh, yes," Willow said quickly, gesturing towards her checklist and their half-completed worksheet set. Professor Snape stared at their potion, which was a bright shade of silver at the moment, and stalked away, glowering. Ron looked immensely relieved, especially since Snape was going back to Hermione's table.

Once they'd finished the lesson and had given Professor Snape a sample, both Ron and Willow left Practical Potions together, the fourth group to leave. Surprisingly for many who had watched their encounter, Neville and Keira had been the first to go. Professor Snape had been outright shocked and had accepted their worksheet and their sample without a word. His eyes had narrowed as he saw Keira give him the brightest, most fake smile she could manage as she cleaned away their supplies.

Keira and Neville were in the study lounge waiting for them when they returned.

"Good job!" Ron said approvingly as he sat down on Keira's opposite side. Willow chose a comfortable armchair and curled up sleepily in it.

"I would have loved to see the look on Snape's face when he realizes how perfect your potion actually is," she said with a yawn.

Keira saw how tired Willow looked and rose. "I think I'll head towards bed. I should probably read some stuff on Ancient Charms and Rituals." She gave a loud, fake yawn and walked towards Willow. "Come on. I'll walk you up."

As they entered the bank of elevators, Willow waited patiently for what Keira had to say. As the doors closed though, Keira simply looked at Willow and gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you," she said softly.

"What for?" Willow asked, feeling confused.

"Whatever you said to Neville," Keira replied as the cage began to lift.

"You defended him against his arch-nemesis," Willow pointed out.

"I know," Keira replied. "But you called him a good man, and that meant more to him than..." she paused, frowning. "Let's just say he's got a new confidence now." There was a sparkle in her eyes as she said this, and she gained a suspicious look from Willow.

"What did he say to you?" Willow asked, grinning slightly as the doors opened and they walked out onto the quiet fifth floor.

"He said he was sorry that he avoided me, even though I'm the smartest person he's met besides Hermione," Keira replied with a laugh. "I think he was afraid of what Malfoy might do to him if they caught him in my company. And then he saw how much Malfoy tortured you, and you're still standing. You complimented him, to boot. Whatever you said to him... it worked."

They arrived at Willow's door. Remembering what had happened there just a few hours ago, she grinned. Keira rolled her eyes and said, "Good night, Willow," before walking away.

Willow was humming a bit as she changed into her pajamas. Padma returned just after ten, dropping her own Practical Potions things on her desk with a sigh. "I hate Snape," she said. Willow just gave a girlish giggle as she set her Introduction to Magic textbook aside. "You're happy."

"I just love Mondays," she sighed. "Don't you?"

Her answer was a fierce glare and yet another roll of the eyes before Padma strolled out.

- - - - -

Tuesday morning at eight was when the Quidditch teams were posted. Willow was among the first in the large huddle to see who made which team. She was thrilled when Harry was on the first team and as its Seeker to boot.

Harry was waiting with Ron and Hermione at the back of the queue, looking irritated. "Damned dragons," he kept muttering.

He was quite surprised when Willow came out of nowhere, threw her arms around him, and squeezed him until he was sure he couldn't survive without oxygen. When she pulled back, he saw that she was beaming. "You're in!" she squealed, hugging him again quickly, before turning to Ron. "And you made Chaser," she said, sounding confused.

To her relief, Ron looked thrilled at this as Hermione took his hand, her brown eyes sparkling warmly as she and her boyfriend shared this happy moment.

Once they reached the front, Harry received confirmation that he had made the first team. Ron was on his team, too. Along with Ron, the other chasers were Aura Starr, which was keen, since she really was a good flyer, and, to his utmost horror, Kaz Rozokov. Ron looked enraged by this, but it was nowhere near how angry Kaz was once they entered the cafeteria.

He was sitting across from Malfoy, whose Dragon team consisted of seven from Dragon Isle. Draco looked as stunned as Kaz felt, as though they'd just been severely defeated in some great war. Keira was sitting with Aura and looking as though they had just won some battle heartily, and were giggling over that morning's issue of the new school publication, The Times.

"Parvati was just named as editor," Keira explained as Willow sat down next to her. "That means that Pansy won't have a chance to keep bashing you and Harry in it. In fact, compared with last week's issue, there's nothing there with you in it!"

This cheered up Willow slightly.

That day's lessons seemed to fly by so quickly that she was half-expecting to go to Potions when she sat down to dinner that night. She was also feeling slightly nervous, since Harry had promised her a date, and had sent her a letter to be delivered while she was at Runes. It was written very plainly, reading: Quidditch Pitch, Ten O'Clock. She grinned as she tucked the note inside her backpack. It was not a look lost on Draco Malfoy, who gazed at the redhead sadly.

After dinner, Willow and Keira retreatd to the library. They were soon joined by Hermione, who was bored since both Harry and Ron were at Quidditch practice. They all decided to work on their essay for History of Magic, and Willow was even halfway through her chapter on the Animagi in her Introduction to Magic class by the time she realized it was nearly nine thirty. With a gasp of horror, she turned to both Keira and Hermione. Hermione was still researching her History essay, looking stern that both Willow and Keira had finished theirs. Keira had been dozing with her head on her arms, but looked up, startled by Willow's sound.

"I've got to go!" Willow said, shoving all of her books inside her bag and running out of the library. She was halfway to her own room when a voice called out to her in the darkness.

"Oi, Willow!"

She froze when she saw Draco Malfoy approaching her, looking absolutely stunning in a pair of khakis and a blue sweater that truly brought out the silver of his eyes. "Draco," she said, trying to dart around him, but he blocked her. "What is it, Malfoy? I'm kind of in a hurry."

"Is it true about you and Potter?" he asked with a scowl. Willow blinked at him in surprise. Since when did he not know about her and Harry? They'd been seeing one another, even though it was sort of casually, for over a week now. Maybe even three. Time seemed so lost now.

"Yeah," she said, giving him a look as to demand he explain why he hadn't known this.

"Oh," he said, his eyes darkening in disappointment. "Forget it, then."

"Fine," she said tightly. "I will." She had taken no more than five steps when she realized something. Turning, she shouted, "Malfoy!" He turned back to face her. "Thanks for... whatever you did Sunday night."

"Anytime," he said, giving her a tight smile before disappearing into the darkness. Feeling as though she was finally free of him, she raced to her room to find something to wear for what she considered to be her true first date with Harry Potter.

- - - - -

It was nearly five minutes after ten when Harry checked his watch again. He'd been checking it so often, it was as though time had stopped completely. He leaned on his Firebolt, sighing. He really hoped she'd gotten the note. Since Quidditch practice was from six to nine two days a week for their team, he hadn't been at dinner, so he hadn't seen her since lunch.

He was about to head back towards the dormitory when he saw her. His eyes widened. She looked... what was it... breathtaking? That she did... since the very sight of her took his breath away. She was wearing a long skirt and a matching tunic-top of some shimmering material. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, and her smile was brightening the entire stadium, already lit with gigantic, magical floodlights.

"You look... great," he finally choked out as she reached him, standing awkwardly across from him.

"Thanks," she smiled, leaning over and hugging him. "You look pretty... red." He was still dressed in his red Quidditch robes. Flushing slightly, he pulled them off, leaving his jeans and grey sweatshirt underneath. He felt badly about not dressing up for her, but she didn't seem to mind it in the least.

He realized then they were still standing across from each other, staring awkwardly. He laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. He had kissed her, for Merlin's sake. She had been in his arms. The prospect of a first date must have been frightening for both of them. Taking initiative, he took her hand as they started back towards the hill.

"Where are we going?" she asked, sounding breathless. He glanced at her in confusion, but saw that she was smiling broadly at him.

"To that little coffee shop off of the medical wing," he said quickly. The coffee shop had been a little secret opened up to them. Full of books describing ancient runes, it was a fantastic place to chat with your mates, play different wizarding games and enjoy the best of both Muggle and non-Muggle caffeinated beverages. It had also not opened yet. It was slated to open this coming weekend, but Harry had spoken with the woman running the place. She guaranteed him two hours of quiet time.

He had decided to take it.

They reached the shop in ten minutes time, and that was with Harry returning his robes and his broomstick to his Quidditch locker off the main stadium. Once they were inside the darkened shop, he glanced around and grinned. There, at the center table, was a single candle lit. A glass rose lay on the sparkling wooden surface.

Willow gasped, her hand clasping her mouth. Her eyes were full of wonder as she stared at Harry. For all the dunderhead he acted sometimes, he really could be sweet. He lifted the rose and handed it to her. "I couldn't find anything more permanent than this," he said quietly. "Because any live rose would have wilted before your... err... presence."

She grinned. Typical Harry. She stepped forward and wrapped him in her embrace, kissing his cheek. "You're sweet," she said, pulling back. "Thank you."

"Anytime," he said, tucking the glass rose in her hair. Turning, he pressed a small button on the side of the table and the lights in the shop around them turned on. They were tiny white twinkle lights around the sitting area. Since there wasn't much inside the shop yet, just this table and a great number of lights, she was surprised when a soft song started playing over some loudspeaker she couldn't see.

Was this the same Harry who had told her time and time again he didn't like to dance? She liked to think it was, yet there they were, in each other's arms, turning in time with the music. And, after the dancing came an espresso with real muffins being served. By the time midnight came and went, neither one of them was ready to give up this night yet.

It finished with a moonlit walk back to their dormitory. Willow couldn't believe that she'd had such a great time doing something so simple. Then again, the Bronze had been the same way. She grinned loftily at Harry, who returned it with a grin of his own before bending down and kissing the tip of her nose.

All too soon, they reached her door. Turning, they hugged again, but it was Willow who took initiative as she threaded her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was a deep, fiery kiss that took them both by some surprise as they pulled back.

"Good night, Harry," she said, her eyes twinkling as she returned to her room, closing the door behind her. He could just see Padma's sleeping figure inside.

"Good night," he mumbled to the door, turning and walking towards the stairs. He was halfway down the hall of the sixth floor corridor to his own room when a sharp voice cried out.

"Potter! It's past twelve thirty!"

It was Percy Weasley, and even as the Professor dragged him to their dormitory office to berate him for being out of his room after their midnight curfew, Harry didn't care. He just smiled sort of dazedly while glancing over Percy's shoulder as the older Weasley flapped his arms like a bat and made goldfish-pucker mouth gestures as he shouted.

Harry didn't care if he was put into restriction a hundred times. He would endure every last one of them to have another first date like that one again.

- - - - -

Potions the next day was filled with the air of gossip. Keira swooped down on Willow in an instant, since the redheaded girl hadn't been at breakfast that morning.

"So?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"So what?" Willow asked as everyone was checking the parchment posted on the outside door for their grades in their practical lessons.

"What happened? Why weren't you at breakfast? Was it a good date?" Keira asked, firing rapid questions at Willow. The other girl just rolled her eyes.

"It was great," Willow sighed dreamily; Harry had just walked in, and was looking around the classroom. His eyes crinkled when they saw Willow. Keira was surprised when Willow blushed slightly and turned to walk down towards their usual row of seats. For some odd reason, their public displays of affection had been reduced to some lovey-dovey looks.

Willow was doing it mostly for Draco, who she knew still liked her, despite the fact he'd walked away from her without trying anything, which was a first, even for that horrible cultish group.

Keira and Harry assumed their normal seats on either side of her. Keira looked really happy to see that Neville was making a point in talking to her everytime they had class together and this she could appreciate.

She just wished it didn't have to come to the expense of his standings that night during their scioccio match. Neville was on Pansy's team, and since Keira and Parvati were planning on humiliating Pansy, well, Neville was just doing to have to endure it.

Keira had decided to tell him what they were planning beforehand. That morning at breakfast, she had explained the plan to him in full detail. Neither Harry nor Willow was around, even though Padma said with certainty Willow had returned alone after midnight that morning.

Willow was humming under her breath and doodling on her pad as Professor Crieux walked into the room and started lecturing, once again, on death potions.

It was boring matter for Keira's mind. Seizing a corner of Willow's parchment, she jotted, _How was the date?_

_None of your business,_ was Willow's reply.

_Oh come on. I'm practically your best friend._

_You're right. I'm sorry. It was awesome._ Here, Willow underlined awesome three times, and added a smile-face beneath it.

_What do you mean awesome_, Keira jotted quickly. Harry was staring at them, but Willow was turned away enough to continue writing without him being able to read it.

_We went to that new shop opening. It was great._

Keira rolled her eyes, but they were now forced to pay attention, as Professor Crieux was telling them about their first written examination coming up the following Monday. After class, Willow took off for Intro to Magic, while Keira, Harry and everyone else in their group set off for Practical Defense.

This was basically a training session for the four teams playing in the next two days. Harry's team was playing Draco's team on Thursday night. Catching Parvati's eye after another gruelling hour-long practice, both girls jogged over to Pansy, who was moaning about a sore back to Rozalynn, also on her team.

"Hey, Pansy!" Parvati called sweetly. "Did you hear we have to wear uniforms tonight?"

"What do you mean?" Pansy asked. She'd spent most of the first fifteeen minutes of class chattering with her usual group of girls. To Keira's delight, Pansy looked panicked for a moment before relenting with her usual casual smirk. "Oh, go blow off, Patil," she snapped, running a hand through her short, shining hair. "Go back to your little playpen."

"Ooo-ooh," Rozalynn said, snickering at Parvati's scandalized look.

"Look forward to beating you," Keira called at them cheerfully as both girls pulled away. As soon as they were out of hearing distance, they both dissolved into laughter. Blaise was eyeing them both in deep distrust when he saw them.

"What's with you two?" he demanded.

"Oh, nothing," Keira said casually, trying and failing to hide the large evil grin spreading rapidly across her face. "Nothing at all."

It took Parvati all of her self control to hold her giggles.

Meanwhile, Aura had been spending the day writing a little song. It had been Ron's idea, with Hermione's insistance that it really worked well. Aura had actually had some experience in writing music, so she was only too glad to write it this time.

Pansy wasn't going to know what hit her.

By the time seven o'clock rolled around, the stands in the arena were filling up. Two of the dormitory advisors were going over the smooth wooden floor, polishing it with their wands. Willow arrived at ten past seven with her roommate, who kept snickering as she put on a bright red top. She'd convinced Willow to wear bright red, too, although Willow wasn't quite sure why. Once they arrived though, this question was answered quickly. They were approached by Lavender, who was giving out white t-shirts with the look of sweetest innocence on her face. From what Willow could see, there were dozens of people wearing these already. Banners were also being passed out and placed over the railings to prepare for the night to come.

Inside the changing room, Blaise was giving his team the quick once-over as they all approached, wearing their silver mesh vests over plain black shirts and long black pants. Parvati and Keira both managed to keep straight faces despite the suspicious glare Blaise kept throwing in their direction whenever they managed to catch the other's eye.

Padma said nothing as she pulled on the t-shirt over her own long-sleeved red top and persuaded Willow to do the same thing. It was then she realized that the t-shirt was already lettered in large letters that changed colors magically. They read: The 'Da' Girl. Feeling suspicious at what the others in her group had been up to, she donned the shirt and soon joined the growing crowd of others cheering. The loudspeakers above were already blaring with commercial advertisements and Aura came down a few moments later, looking especially smug, wearing a shirt with the same logo in solid violet coloring.

Another girl Willow didn't know joined Aura, holding a large sheaf of papers. Together, she and Aura passed them out. Padma took one happily and grinned. Willow saw that they were lyrics to some song.

The 'Da' Girl.

Oh, crap.

A loud bass sound started throbbing from the speakers and Aura and the other girl jumped down. "We're your hosts for the evening!" Aura shouted out in her thick, Greek accent. "I'm Aura and this is Daire!" The other girl, one nearly as tall as Aura, jumped and waved her arm, her curly brown hair falling over her shoulders. "Oh, and this is Hannah!" A blonde girl with a braid over one shoulder joined them, too. "We're gonna practice a little song!"

Willow tried to hold in her laughter, but it was hard. She saw Harry, Ron and Hermione enter, all three of them wearing the shirts. They saw Willow and Padma and started walking towards them. Dean, Seamus and many others followed behind.

Once the song was done, Willow was laughing so hard she had to clutch at her sides in order to gasp and breathe. "What the hell is this?" she asked, snickering.

"Something we'd like to call 'sweet revenge'," Pansy said, patting her arm.

The lights returned to normal as Aura and Hannah unrolled a huge banner and draped it across the railing of their section.

Over two hundred people were now wearing these white shirts and holding lyrics to this ridiculous song. It was obviously revenge on Pansy, and Willow thought it was most likely justified. She couldn't wait to see the look on Pansy's face.

Draco and the rest of his Dragon cult arrived at a quarter to eight. The announcer was back and was giving the line-ups as the teams came out and started their practice runs, making long circles around the arena, the wheels on their scooters squeaking on the newly-polished floor.

The support for Blaise's team was obviously so huge that even he didn't understand it. The first half of the game was exciting, especially since their team was obviously so much better than Pansy's. Neville, try as he could, couldn't defend anything around Kaz and Parvati's repeated assaults on their side. By the time halftime was called, Pansy's team had only scored twice. The score was 21 to 2, in favor of Blaise's team. But instead of going back to the changing rooms, Keira and Parvati both walked over to Pansy's team, which was heading back to their own changing room, their shoulders ducked dejectedly.

"Now!" Parvati squealed.

Pansy looked up, her eyes darkening in confusion. From behind her, Neville gave her a nudge as he pretended to trip over his own feet, causing Pansy to spill back onto the floor. That was when the lights went out.

Suddenly, she saw her name flashing mockingly at her from all angles as bright red spotlights zoomed around above, and a loud, throbbing beat started emanating from the speakers over their heads. And, as one, over two hundred voices started singing:

_Pansy, you're a bad girl,_

_it's__ time to put you in your place,_

_the__ da girl you are,_

_even__ with a dog face_

_strutting__ your crap all over the place._

_Singin -_

_she's__ the, she's the, not girl..._

_she's__ da, she's da, da girl!_

_Pansy, you're a trash-heap_

_living__ on the backstreet,_

_it's__ time to give up_

_you__ know you've got nothin'_

_even__ though you think you're some queen..._

On the song went, to the horrible beat, and Willow saw her face tighten with anger and then slowly turned into an expression of someone who had been cornered. Once the song had ended and everything returned to normal, more jeering songs were sang out by smaller groups, but the damage had already been done. Not only had Pansy's team shown up completely out of uniform, but by wearing the rather tight and revealing cheerleading uniform she was, Pansy had finally been put in her place.

As she ran from the arena, Keira and Parvati exchanged a high-five and a hug. As Keira glanced up, she saw Willow looking at her oddly.

This was for you, Wil, she thought to herself as they pulled back.

And then they went back to their changing rooms.

"That was uncalled for!" Blaise shouted at them, his face red.

Parvati walked right up to him and grinned. "But it was fun," she sneered.

Draco was pale as he glanced across the arena. Although the large group was still singing crude songs, he noticed that one person in the entire circle didn't look happy. Willow.

She wasn't a mean girl. No matter how these other girls decided to uphold her honor by doing this show of whatever it was, Willow wouldn't stoop down to their level. Maybe that was the reason he liked her so much. And that was probably the reason he was willing to give her up to Potter, even though Harry was acting like such an immature donkey at the moment, clapping hands with everyone around them and singing yet another song in Pansy's honor, something that sounded horribly like the Slytherins old version of 'Weasley is our King', only this time it came out 'Pansy's the Little Queen'.

He sighed, wishing he could go down and see if Pansy was all right.

In truth, she had gone back to the changing room and changed her mind halfway there. Glancing back at the hostile stands, she began to realize she had deserved every last word of ridicule. Who was she kidding? Willow's friends obviously stuck up for her, and not one of her own had come out to support her. In fact, many of them had just stared across the arena looking as though they were shocked beyond all belief.

The game ended with crushing defeat. Pansy's team scored three times in the second half, but it was by a whopping landslide that Blaise's team won. He even cheered at their 39 to 5 upset, and his team carried him off the field in a lap of victory.

Half an hour later, the entire study room had been converted into one huge party. Keira found Willow quickly and ran to hug her friend, but Willow just gave her another strange look.

"I hope you realize we planned that for you," Keira said, dropping onto the chair next to Willow's. "That bitch deserved everything that was coming for her."

"What else did you do?" Willow asked quietly.

"Magic," Parvati said sweetly, perching herself on the edge of Keira's chair. "Oh, don't look so worried, Willow. It was just a harmless prank!"

"I have a headache," Willow said quickly, rushing away from both women and moving towards the elevators.

"Why do I have the feeling she didn't have as much fun as we did?" Parvati asked softly.

Willow was still awake when Padma came in two hours later, smelling strongly of mulled mead and still wearing her taunting t-shirt. Changing her clothes, she noticed the look on Willow's face. "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy that."

"Oh, I did, a little," Willow replied quietly. "It's just that... I know how she feels. I've felt that way before... humiliated, embarrassed... sold out." Her face wore a wary expression.

"No one messes with our girl," Padma said firmly. "They've played you and messed with your mind for the last time. If they come at you again, they've got another thing coming."

Willow sighed and stood up, already in her nightgown. "I'm going to bed," she announced, as Padma left the room, looking concerned.

"How is she?" Hermione asked as she and Ron passed by their room.

"I don't think she liked it," Padma said, chewing on her lower lip.

"Didn't you see her laugh when she sang it the first time?" Ron asked crossly. "She's just too damned nice for her own good."

"I just wish she didn't have to be so miserable about it," Padma replied with a shrug as Ron and Hermione passed.

Then she grinned, realizing that Pansy was just about to walk into her own encore.

All of the furniture in her room, including her brand-new Muggle stereo system, had been turned upside down and now hung from the ceiling.

They could almost hear her enraged scream across the campus.

- - - - -

Chapter 13... another couple is born; best friends are tested; and a test is taken. And Halloween fun is had... Sunnydale-style.

Author's Notes

This chapter was wicked fun to write, but it took me FOREVER to come up with any ideas of something to irk Pansy about. Public ridicule seemed like a good idea to me. She used it enough against Harry is my theory.

This chapter was written and posted a hell of a lot sooner than I thought it would be. While I'd love to say that the Halloween chapter will be out sooner than, say, Halloween, I can't account for anything. I'm stuck going to River Falls this weekend so I probably won't be updating it at all... and this week will become hectic. I had a nice quiet weekend catching up on reading and writing though, and this little gem was born.

**BIGHARRYFAN** - thank you :)

**Lightdemondarkangel** - you didn't have to wait two weeks. I updated after one. Sad, I know. But I felt like doing a Dance update.

**Vampyr Moon** - true, but Willow kind of proved she wasn't a mudblood when she did that wiccan magic in front of him... and his obsession with the little Wicca grew from there. Nah, Malfoy's got another girl into him... or he will... maybe.

**gaul1** - thank you for both reviews and thank you :)

**Krylancelo** - and all the attention was turned onto Pansy... oh the little tart got what she finally deserved. The last thing Willow needs is more attention, but what happens when she brings in some of that Sunnydale luck (or lack thereof!)

**Untamed-Beauty** - thank you :) I intend to.


	13. Masquerade

**Chapter 13**

**Masquerade**

- - - - -

Autumn was continuing to slip away as students hurried across the windy campus, large piles of brightly tinted leaves whirling around them.

Willow ducked inside the main building and shook off her wool coat. It was early Monday morning, the last Monday in October. It had been just two weeks since Pansy's come-uppance and so far, Draco and his friends hadn't plotted any revenge. It didn't mean that Willow wasn't worried though, because she was. Pansy was capable of Cordelia-like antics, and after living with Cordelia's stupidity through elementary and high school, she was ready for anything else that woman threw at her.

Monday was also the day of their postponed Potions test. She wasn't too concerned about it, since she and Keira had been holed up in the Library with Hermione all weekend, listening to the other woman explain every bloody detail. After their fifth hour the night before, Willow had finally awoken from her stupor and yawned, clearly annoying the other girl.

Like she told Keira at midnight when the two had finally gone back to their dormitory, she wasn't worried.

Breakfast was a tense atmosphere since nearly half of the students had the morning Potions lecture. Their usual table was no exception. Hermione had propped the textbook against the coffee pot and was reading through her notes so fast her eyes were blurred. Ron was glancing over her shoulder, idly toying with the ends of her hair. Harry was sitting across from them, frowning at notes he'd taken from Hermione's stack. Neville sat on the other side of Harry reading from the textbook, but unlike his Hogwarts persona of being in a pure state of panic, he was relatively calm.

Keira wasn't awake yet, but Willow was hardly surprised. Unbuttoning her coat, she took the seat next to Harry, who beamed at her. She smiled at him and set her bag and her coat on her other side. Pulling a platter of French toast towards her, Willow dished herself up.

Keira appeared five minutes later, looking as though she'd just run a marathon. Her backpack was still open and her Potions textbook was crammed in her other arm. She dropped everything next to Willow before taking the empty seat.

"Wasn't so sure you were going to make it," Willow teased her as Keira poured herself coffee.

"Ye of little faith," Keira grinned as she glanced at the dishes and platters around. "Damn, this looks good."

After a hurried breakfast, all of those in Professor Crieux's morning class rushed away. Once in front of their lecture hall, they started testing one another.

The doors opened and the class trooped in. Taking her usual seat between Keira and Harry, Willow looked around. All of the faces were somber and serious. Even Draco looked more tired than normal, his silvery eyes clouded as he scanned his notes.

Professor Crieux showed up five minutes later and handed out the rolls of parchment. Willow took hers and stared down at the long, long test. With a sigh of resignation, she put her quill to work.

An hour later, she handed in her test and made her way out of the lecture hall, stretching. She was joined a few minutes later by Ron. His hair was standing on end after he'd run his hand through it over and over again.

"That wasn't as bad as it could have been," he admitted as he waited with Willow outside their classroom.

"I'm not too sure how I did on the question about the Draught of Everlasting Peace, but I think I did okay," Willow said, as they both sat down across the hallway, waiting for their respective significant others to finish the test.

"I thought it was easier than what old Snape would have given us," Ron muttered, trying in vain to flatten his hair.

"I've heard a little bit about how bad he was," Willow said sympathetically. "He reminds me of Snyder, the principal of my old school."

For the next fifteen minutes, she and Ron traded stories. His were of a certain hook-nosed, oily-haired professor who constantly picked on the trio, while hers described an anal, hopeless, dateless disaster of a man who allowed himself to be eaten by a giant snake.

Keira was the first to emerge, but she looked slightly less pale and more bright-eyed. "At least I think I passed, and that's a start," she said cheerfully, dropping down on Willow's opposite side.

"I hope they're done, soon," Willow said, frowning at the closed door in front of them. "I have to get to class soon, and don't you guys have Practical Defense?"

Both Ron and Keira groaned at the thought of spending yet another hour in that doomed class. Ever since learning that stupid new game, they had worked on fencing and archery, and were now strengthening what Professor Gabon had called their 'physical endurance'. Keira considered it to be torture, while Ron just made a face, turned red, and didn't talk about it.

Professor Gabon believed that every witch or wizard needed to be strong. So, not only were they expected to become professionals at her stupid games, but they were also expected to participate in fitness tests. Different obstacle courses in various levels of difficulty had been erected for each class period. The last one involved a lot of rope climbing and swinging from rope swing to rope swing. Keira was still having problems getting the blisters to go away as she so colorfully told everyone who would listen. Ron would just turn red and look away.

Apparently the thought of Hermione in either a bathing suit or something that resembled gym clothes was a bit too much for his slightly younger mind.

She stood up when the door opened again, but it admitted three students she didn't know, and they barely glanced at her before hurrying away.

"I should get to class," Willow said, biting her lip and casting a look at the door.

"We'll watch after Potter, Wil," Keira said, getting to her feet and throwing an arm over the redhead's shoulders. "You'll see him at lunch, right?"

"I... I guess," Willow said, feeling slightly more morose.

Introduction to Magic passed as though the minutes were years. Willow was staring at the clock so often, she felt as though time had stopped. It was obviously very off-putting for Professor Weasley, who kept glaring at her and raising his voice whenever he read from the book.

They did simple switching spells and Professor Weasley passed back their homework. Willow smiled at the bright red ten in the upper right-hand corner of her parchment as she slipped it back within its folder.

To her irritation, though, Professor Weasley held her back after class.

He wasn't in such a stellar mood, either.

He glanced up as she approached, still tucking away her things. "Were you trying to perform illegal magic on my clock, or were things far too dull for your fancy?" he asked her in his biting tone.

Willow at least had the grace to blush. "Sorry, sir... it's just that... with everything else..."

"I'd hate to put someone with such a flawless record on restriction," he said, cutting through her babbled apology, "you showed bad judgment in acting quite foolishly. Did this school not accept you for your extraordinary powers, Miss Rosenberg?"

She opened her mouth, but the sound wouldn't come out. Why did this man have to chew her out as her father would have done?

He was gazing at her panic-stricken face and the lines around his eyes softened. "I have placed in charge of this year's Halloween celebration, which falls on Friday this year. As such, I have been looking for a student to be placed in charge of the committee I have been asked to create. Considering your poor performance in class today, I will ask you, in case you would like to earn some... extra credit?"

Willow was curious now as she pulled over the chair and sat next to his desk. "What exactly did you have in mind, sir?" she asked, pulling out her notebook. He appeared to be slightly impressed with her readiness and focus.

"I am uncertain," he said, frowning as he glanced at her. "What have been your past experiences with Halloween?"

Oh, where to begin... every Halloween on the Hellmouth had been that much more interesting. The best was when she'd actually become a ghost after Ethan Rayne pulled his stunt. "They've been... interesting," she said uncertainly. "There was one year... I was in the eighth grade, when werewolves stormed the school during our talent show, and some idiot turned the ballet team into dancing monkeys."

He stared at her for a moment in disbelief. "Okay," he said slowly, "continuing on... I want you to head to student committee. We have to find something that all students can attend."

"Dances are always fun," Willow piped up, making a note on her pad. "Especially costume balls... but only if you don't turn into the costume you're wearing, because if you're wearing a ghost, chances are you'll turn up all dead and see-through-y."

"I do like the idea of a costume ball," Percy said, sitting back in his seat and eyeing the woman sitting in front of him.

"We could have a masked costume ball," Willow suggested. "You know, wear the sparkly sequel masks and the dashing Zorro eyepatch... it'd be fun. It'd give us students a chance to unwind, especially since Professor Crieux nearly killed the class with his test today, and History of Magic won't be much better on Friday."

"That seems like a good idea to me," he said, also writing down the idea. "Now, Willow, I want you to find your own committee. And, no, I don't mean just Isley, Potter and my brother, although I know you are very fond of all of them. I want a representative from each house, including the house that Malfoy is in. I want this project to promote school and house unity. I know you two have had your differences, but I want things to be fair and just."

If he wanted to be fair and just, he would just burn down that house and start over, Willow thought dryly.

"I do want Keira on my team though," Willow said. "What else do we need to work on?"

"Entertainment, refreshments and decorations," Percy said, consulting the parchment next to his usual clipboard. "You have Practical Potions tonight, however, do you not?"

"Yeah, but I can meet you after," she said, already jotting down ideas.

"Let us meet at nine," Percy said, setting his quill aside and getting to his feet. "Now, I want your committee to be chosen so that they may be informed before tomorrow, and I can tell the rest of the staff we do have a plan for what to do on Halloween."

"Sounds good to me," Willow said, tucking her things back inside her bag. "Can I go now?"

"Of course," he said, nodding. "Enjoy your lunch."

By the time Willow actually got to the cafeteria, everyone was nearly done eating. Running in, she muttered her apologies as she sat down in her usual space next to Keira, who raised her eyebrows slightly at her.

"Where have you been?" she asked interestedly.

"Professor Weasley held me back," Willow said breathlessly, and proceeded to explain what was going on.

"So, let me get this straight," Keira said, holding up her hand, "Professor Weasley wants to promote school unity by involving the pure-bloods in this committee? Is he bloody mad?"

"That's Percy for you," Ron said from Keira's opposite side. Hermione, sitting on Ron's other side, gave him a pained look before leaning over the table.

"Don't worry, Willow. I'm sure everyone will jump at the chance to be on the first student-led committee," Hermione said consolingly, glaring at Ron.

"That only leaves me with just under nine hours to support house unity," Willow muttered, staring at her watch.

"Well, you've got your alpha picked out for ours," Keira said, grinning.

"Does she?" Harry asked, glancing up from his stew as he eyed Keira darkly. "How do you know she doesn't want her --"

Keira started giggling. "Oh, right, Harry! You just want to join the committee so that you and Willow can spend more personal time together!"

Harry turned a brilliant shade of red as he stood up, knocking over his empty goblet.

"Harry, sit down, please?" Willow asked from across the table, her eyes trying to convince him to understand. He sat down, muttering under his breath. "Keira, no... just, no. The second you join, we wouldn't get any work done!"

"That's not true!" Keira protested. "You and I work very well together!"

That statement was answered by a snort of laughter from Hermione.

"What?" she asked, turning to the other woman.

"You two... working well together?" Hermione asked doubtfully. "No offense, Keira, but whenever you two are together, you are twice as likely to accomplish nothing!"

Willow nearly choked out her juice as Keira stood up indignantly. Ron decided to step in quickly as peacemaker and soon Keira was exchanging a dark, knowing look with Harry before staring at her nearly-empty plate.

Willow, on the other hand, had just finished her stew and was glancing around the table. She spotted one dark hair and rose, grabbing her book bag. "If you'll excuse me," she said quietly, hurrying away.

Harry watched as his (potential) girlfriend ran after the cult now leaving the great hall. Sighing, he turned back to his lunch.

It was still cool as Willow ran outside, the heels of her boots clicking on the marble as she followed the group to their usual spot by the fountains.

It didn't take her long to be spotted. She watched as Kaz stood up to face her, but Draco put out his arm, his silver eyes curious. "Yes, Rosenberg?" he asked.

"I was hoping I could talk to--"

"What are you doing here?" Pansy asked coldly, suddenly appeared at Willow's right elbow.

"The right thing, for once," Willow replied, grabbing the girl by the elbow and dragging her around the corner, despite the minor protests.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Willow said, letting go of the other girl, who stared at her, darkness flashing through her eyes. "I just wanted you to know..."

"If it's about that prank your friends pulled, it worked," Pansy said darkly. "If you want to push the knife in the wound a little deeper, I suggest leaving. I'm not in the mood for--"

"Look," Willow said, shaking her head vigorously. "I didn't plan anything. That was all Parvati and Keira. I don't condone what they did, because in my mind, you didn't deserve it. Now, listen, you know a lot about parties and other social events. I've been placed in charge of the Halloween festivities coming up Friday night. I want to do a masked costume ball. I was told to form a committee for this thing, and I'm asking you. Please say you'll accept."

Pansy wasn't quite sure of what to say. First of all, Willow had to be the nicest person she'd ever met, and she knew quite a few. And then there was the fact she was Keira Isley's friend and Harry Potter's potential girlfriend. Lastly, the girl was fun to be around, despite the fact she wasn't a pure-blooded witch like herself.

"All right," she said after a long pause. "But only if I can pick a male from my house to be on the team with me."

"I was going to ask Blaise," Willow said quickly. "He's probably the only other person in the house I can tolerate."

"Well, of you insist," Pansy said, examining her nails. "What's this committee all about, anyway?"

"Professor Weasley wants to promote school unity, therefore he wants a committee with all four houses represented," Willow said in a tired voice.

"And you asked me, of all people?" Pansy asked, sounding surprised.

"I figured you earned it," Willow said with a shrug. "I didn't want to... well, let's just say I feel bad about what happened."

"As long as you don't put Isley or Potter on the committee, I'm good," Pansy said with a scowl. "I may have to kill both of them if I have to spend time in a room with them."

"I won't ask Keira or Harry," Willow replied. "On second thought, who would you want me to ask?"

"It doesn't really matter," Pansy said. "Do you have any idea about people from the other houses?"

"I'll figure something out," Willow said, grinning. "Okay, so meeting tonight in the Intro to Magic classroom at nine."

"Do you want to tell Zabini or should I?" Pansy asked.

"I'll do it."

The entire group looked stunned to see both women walking in a civil manner towards them. They figured Pansy would have thrown a few punches at the very least. But they actually smiled once they parted, and Willow walked directly to Blaise.

"Uh, what do you want?" he asked her coolly.

"Relax, Zabini," Pansy said curtly as she took her usual spot next to Draco. "Rosenberg has a favor to ask."

"Do you want to be on a student committee to plan and organize Halloween?" Willow asked him sweetly.

"Maybe..." he said, glancing at Pansy, who just nodded, arching one eyebrow in amusement. "Okay, fine," he said glumly as Willow clapped her hands, her face brightening.

"Yay, that's two for two," she said happily, doing the one thing no one expected she would ever do. She threw her arms around him, gave him a brief squeeze and then pulled back, still radiating and beaming. "Okay, so meeting tonight at nine in the Intro to Magic classroom. It's two-oh-four if you were wondering. I've got to go! So much to do, so little time!"

And they watched her breeze away.

"How about that?" Draco asked softly, glancing at Pansy sitting next to him, toying with one of her bright silver rings.

"I told you she was different," Blaise said sharply as he sat down on Pansy's other side, much to her annoyance.

"What's this Halloween event anyway?" Draco asked without much interest.

"A dance, what else?" Pansy asked, grinning as she ran a hand through her short, dark hair. "Oh, and we're going to make sure it'll be one they remember for a long, long time, aren't we Blaise?"

"What? Oh... sure..." Blaise said, still looking off after her.

"Oh, give it up, honey, because you're never gonna get her," Pansy said conversationally, digging in her bag for a file. "Just wait till Isley hears about it."

At that thought, Draco smiled evilly.

Practical Potions was another class that took forever to get through. Even though Ron and Willow were one of the first groups finished with their encouragement draught, she still wasn't ready to sit down at a meeting with Percy Weasley, and a large group of people she didn't know.

Keira and Neville, surprisingly enough, were becoming one of the most efficient teams. She did a lot of the spell-work while he read off instructions, collected ingredients and wrote out their Potions report. They were the first group done, much to the surprise of the rest of the class.

Keira was waiting for them outside of the room. Neville stood next to her, shyly looking at a girl he was quickly considering his friend, now that she didn't think of him as some stupid, bumbling oaf any longer.

"Going to your meeting?" Keira asked archly.

"Yeah," Willow said, crossing her arms.

"Did you pick your alpha yet?" she asked, cautiously. Willow had gotten so tired of the bickering between Keira and Harry that she'd skipped dinner completely, paying for it up at that new shop.

"Well, I wanted to pick a male," Willow said, ignoring Keira's scowl, "and picking Harry is way too cliché, so I chose Ron instead."

"You did?" Keira asked, her eyebrows lifting as she regarded the tall, gangly redhead next to her close friend. "I suppose it could have been worse. You could have asked that Pansy bitch."

"Right now," Ron said, interrupting this conversation. "We've only got a few minutes to get up there, Willow. Let's go."

"Wait," Hermione said, coming out of the room.

"Well, we'll be ready as soon as Mister and Mrs. Weasley say their goodbyes," Willow replied, smirking as she and Keira walked away, the dark-haired girl dragging Neville with her.

Ron joined her five minutes later and the two of them made it to the classroom on time.

Inside was Percy, sitting at a long table with six others. They all looked up when Ron and Willow walked in.

Ron's eyes widened when he saw both Pansy and Blaise sitting there, representing their houses. He turned accusatory eyes to his best friend's new girlfriend, but received an innocent smile in exchange. No wonder she hadn't asked Harry... he would have hexed her on sight had he been the one she'd asked!

Ron was still staring at Willow as she took the seat to Percy's right. He offered her a glass of water or one of the snacks displayed nicely on the trays scattering the table.

"Okay, so, you have all been asked here by Miss Rosenberg to discuss plans for the students' entertainment this Halloween," Percy said anxiously.

"I think I liked Willow's idea," Pansy Parkinson said, leaning across the table to snatch a rice-crispy bar from one of the silver trays. "A masquerade ball would be fantastic fun. It'd be a great chance to let loose and literally have a ball."

"Will there be alcohol served or is this something we have to decide on?" one of the other girls asked, glancing at Willow uncertainly. The only reason Willow had asked her was because she was the only girl in the House of Invocation she knew. And, she'd told the girl to invite her boyfriend from the other house she knew no one from. It didn't matter, since they were both in History of Magic.

"I was considering it," Percy said, frowning. "But considering the behavior of some of our students..."

Willow felt her cheeks growing pink. She'd only been drunk once, and it had been in the presence of... Blaise Zabini, who was giving her a quirky smile, his eyebrows rising. She coughed a bit and Percy cut off, glancing at her, concern in his eyes.

"Are you all right, Willow?" he asked her kindly.

"Oh, just great," she said, giving Blaise a mocking glare before grabbing her water glass. "I'm okay, continue on."

"Perhaps alcohol would be a bad idea, unless you had a few responsible students in charge of it," Blaise said, finally turning to look at the elder Weasley.

"I hope you're not suggesting yourself," Ron said, scowling.

"And if I was?" Blaise asked, amusement clear in his tone. But before Ron could cut back in, Willow laid her hand on Ron's arm to hush him.

"I like your idea, Blaise," she said loudly. Ron turned and looked at her in surprise. "I had a few, too, but I think yours is the best."

Harry was going to kill both of them, Ron realized. He was going to kill Ron because he'd actually accepted Willow's offer. And he was going to kill Willow because she invited two of Harry's enemies to this meeting. The poor bugger had no idea.

"As for sounds, I was thinking a band or a disk-jockey," the girl named Annah said, glancing up from her own parchment full of notes. "There was this fantastic band I heard of when I was in Canada last. I brought a tape I bought and I think Ricky here brought a stereo."

Lifting the battery-powered device, she slipped in the tape.

"Oh, my God," Willow whispered as Devon's familiar voice started ringing out.

"I don't remember what they were called, but the last time I checked, they finally got a record deal," Annah said happily.

"Dingos Ate My Baby," Willow said softly.

"I'm sorry?" Annah asked, blinking in confusion at Willow.

"That's the name of the band," Willow explained. "It's called 'Dingos Ate My Baby'. It was based in my hometown..."

"You're from Sunnydale?" Annah asked happily. "Oh, we were there about two years ago! I love it there! Except everyone is kind of... weird."

"You're telling me," Willow said dryly, as the sounds of Oz's guitar started. Closing her eyes, she turned away.

Ron knew what this was all about and placed a comforting hand over the feminine hand still on his arm.

Pansy was glancing at the look on Willow's face. Daniel Osbourne, this musician boyfriend Willow had mentioned... was a member of this band, surely. This redhead would only react this way if something this painful had been done... and she was surely acting strangely. Her lips quivered into a painful smile as she leaned across the table, offering the tray of snacks to the redheaded girl. "Here, take one of these. And we don't have to call up this band."

"In fact I have a better idea," Blaise said slowly. "There's this band at school here."

"Why would we want someone not famous that can't sing?" Pansy snapped at him.

"It's Daire's band," Blaise retorted. "I think they're called Wicked, and they can sing pretty damn good. We don't have to trouble ourselves in finding if this band is available or not--"

"No," Willow said quickly. "If you want Dingoes, I'll call... I'll talk to Devon. And Oz."

Pansy knew then she was absolutely correct. Who knew that getting this redhead drunk would spill such wonderfully intimate details?

"We don't have to," Pansy told her soothingly, turning to glare at this Annah girl. "Could you please turn that off, or do you expect her to lynch herself next?"

Annah gasped and quickly turned off the sound, the beautiful, heartbreaking lyrics cut off. Willow gave her a soft smile of thanks before returning her gaze to her notes.

"I think we still have decorations to discuss," Pansy said sharply, reaching for her glass. "Moving on..."

Oh, Harry was definitely going to kill him, Ron thought miserably as he dropped his chin onto his fist, glaring at Blaise and Pansy across the table, acting ever so concerned with the poor redhead next to him, looking as though her heart had been smashed all over again.

Ron was a dead man walking, if Harry ever found out...

- - - - -

It was nearing midnight when Ron and Willow walked back inside their house. Ron immediately went into the corner to find his girlfriend, who was curled up at the fireplace in her usual armchair, reading her History of Magic text.

"How was the meeting?" she asked, glancing up at him and moving the book away.

"Long," Ron grumbled. "Way too long, if you ask me. Percy wanted details on every single detail."

"That sounds like your brother," she said, as he dropped down next to her and wrapped his arms tightly over her shoulders. "Mmmmm... I could just sleep here."

He dropped a kiss onto her hair and smiled. "Just seeing you makes this whole crappy night better," he sighed.

"Besides Percy, what else could go wrong?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I think it has something to do with Zabini and that bitch Parkinson," Ron growled.

"They were there?" Hermione asked, turning to lay on her back, her head on the armrest.

"Yeah, she asked them to be there," Ron said moodily.

"Willow asked Blaise and Pansy to be at this meeting," Hermione said slowly. "I don't believe it."

"Believe it," Ron grumbled. "I was there nearly three hours. It was near torture."

"How did she act around them?" Hermione asked, sitting up straighter in his lap. He relaxed his arms around her waist.

"Happy," Ron said softly. "They were rather helpful and they really know how to plan a ball that much I'll give them."

"So, what's the big event?"

"A masked costume ball. You dress in a costume and wear a mask."

"Like we're twelve?" she asked, playing with his red hair thoughtfully.

"With alcohol," he added helpfully.

"Like we're a load of drunks."

"Pansy had this clever idea that the girls should ask the guys," Ron complained.

"Like you?" she asked, drawing her face closer to his.

"Like me, what?"

"Oh, ever so deviously clever," she said, pressing her forehead against his.

"But you love me."

"I really do."

"Then prove it."

"What?" Hermione asked, pulling back, laughing.

"Or you could just get back here," Ron said, pulling her even closer, despite her weak, playful protests.

"Oh, Ronald!" she moaned just before he took her face in both hands and kissed her, leaving her breathless.

Willow closed the door to her room on the fifth floor and glanced around, seeing Padma sitting at her desk, poring over her History of Magic textbook.

"Studying already?" she asked with a yawn, tossing her bag onto her bed.

"I didn't do so well on the first test," Padma groaned as she gently marked her page and closed her book. "I was also waiting for you to get back. What did you all plan?"

"A ball in which the girls ask the guys, alcohol and espresso are served, and international snacks are commonplace," Willow said with a sigh, starting to unbutton her blouse to change for dinner. "There's other stuff, too. It's all in my notes if you want to look."

Padma practically dove for Willow's leather book bag and pulled out the parchment.

"The announcement is going up in the morning," Willow informed her, opening the door to her wardrobe and stepping behind it. A moment later, her grey blouse fell to the ground.

"This is going to be fun," Padma said, setting the lists aside. "I have an idea for you..."

Willow pulled back, dressed in a pair of fuzzy pink pants and a matching tank top. "Yeah?" she asked, pinning her hair up.

"How about a sleepover?" Padma asked. "That huge room where Keira sleeps is perfect for such a place. We can comfort each other with ghost stories and junk food."

Willow giggled. "That sounds... great," she said, picking up her clothes and folding them. "Let's just get to Friday first, okay? We've got a lot of work to do, and you have a man to think of asking to this ball."

"We have to have a date?" Padma grumbled as Willow walked out of the room again, train case in hand.

By the next morning, everyone was talking about Friday night. Keira caught up with Willow before breakfast, beaming.

Their table was full of excited chatter, along with the rumors of who was asking who. Hermione had already asked Ron, which surprised no one. Willow was working up her courage to ask Harry, but before she could open her mouth to ask him, Aura came out of nowhere, glowing. With her was Parvati, grinning in a sheepish way.

"Are you going to explain your big goofy smile or do we have to guess it?" Willow asked, sipping her coffee.

"We've just been talking about who we're going to ask out Friday night," Parvati said, giggling a little breathlessly.

"Oh," Willow said, finding herself giggling along with them. "Speaking of asking..." She turned to Harry, a smile breaking out across her face, she said, "So, want to go to the dance with me on Friday night?"

Harry looked startled for a moment before turning pink and trying to speak several times, he finally managed, "Sure."

"Great!" she said, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have a band to book."

Willow jumped to her feet and lifted her bag onto her shoulder. Taking one last bite of toast, she headed off.

"Why does she keep doing that?" Aura asked.

"I don't know," Keira muttered. She was well aware now that the announcement said that the ladies had to ask the guys. The problem was, she wasn't really sure that she wanted to go with any guy. And hearing all of these rather flirtatious females talking about it wasn't going to make her any more comfortable.

Sure enough, Aura turned to her and, grinning, asked, "So, who are you asking Keir?"

"I don't know," Keira said shortly.

This caught Harry's attention. "You don't know?" he asked, surprised.

"You probably should ask someone soon," Ron piped up. "Because you should coordinate outfits with your partner."

"Yeah, well, not really much with coordination, am I?" Keira asked sullenly, adding milk to her coffee.

The rest of the table started talking about the dance again, but Keira wished that they could find something else to talk about.

Potions was torture for Keira. Harry and Willow spent the entire period whispering and settling on a costume idea before filling out the little advertisement Willow had. Harry then took it and promised that Hedwig would deliver the package on time.

It was really ridiculous, all of this talk about dances and stuff. Keira had never cared much for social events, unless she planned them, and squeezing into a tight circle of gyrating bodies swaying to crappy music wasn't her idea of a quality Halloween.

Lunch was also brutal, but at least Keira could find a tiny room in the Library and lock herself away all after to study for History of Magic. Willow had Runes and wouldn't be there, which brought Keira some sense of relief.

Pansy and Blaise caught up with Willow just before she could head upstairs to Runes. "Hey!" Pansy called out, jogging over to her. "We heard you booked Wicked."

"I did this morning," Willow said, glancing down at the pair of them.

"Great!" Blaise enthused sarcastically. Seeing the glare both women were throwing him, he added a mild, "What?" in annoyance.

"Shove off," Pansy growled. Blaise raised his eyebrows at her, yet walked off, calling a less-than-cheerful goodbye at the both of them. "Boys... anyway, I wanted to let you know everything has been cleared for decorations. I hope you don't mind me going to Draco, but with his resources, he can pull a rabbit out of a hat. He's agreed to help us out. As for food and alcohol, I'm assuming those other idiots can handle it?"

"They'll manage," Willow said, setting her heavy bag down on the stairs. "I talked to Annah this morning."

"A bit of a dim-wit, isn't she?" Pansy asked sweetly. "I mean, she's absolutely brilliant, but when it comes to planning and organizing, the poor bint just falls apart."

"That's the tragic history of most of us," Willow agreed. "Have you asked someone out yet? As one of the chairs of the project, you pretty much need a date, Pans."

"Oh, don't worry about me," Pansy smirked. "I got my guy picked out and asked. Have you settled on a costume yet? I was planning on Cleopatra, but asking my man to settle for Mark Antony is a different matter completely."

"Cleopatra..." Willow said, frowning as she considered this. "That's ambitious. Not to mention you're going to completely rip Draco apart."

"How did you know I wasn't seeing him anymore?" Pansy asked lightly.

"I read people pretty well," Willow said with a shrug. "In this case, I can safely say that you and Draco aren't together."

"Not anymore, anyway," Pansy said with a dramatic sigh. "Trust me, he's got girls lining up across the block. I heard Daire asked him out, and he turned her down flat. Blaise even got asked..." A sour look adorned her face as she sighed huffily. "I sure as hell hope he turned her down."

"Turned who down?" Willow asked softly.

"Patil, of course," Pansy snapped, running a hand through her hair. "Parvati Patil, Blaise's one-time, one-night fling has come running back... and has asked him to our dance."

"Parvati and Blaise..." Willow mused, smiling at that. "You never know. Opposites do attract you know."

"Sometimes," Pansy replied, shrugging. "I suppose you should get going. Don't you have class now?"

Willow checked her watch and cursed. "Oh, crap, yeah... I'll see you tonight?"

"See you!" Pansy said, giving her an airy wave as Willow disappeared out of sight.

As she turned around, she met the bitter, snarling face of Keira Isley.

"What the bleeding hell are you doing with her?" Keira demanded angrily.

"We were just talking, Isley, relax," Pansy said with a cool smile. "You see, unlike you, Rosenberg has class. She doesn't humiliate her enemies. She keeps them close... maybe closer than you'd like."

"I know you're just using her to get at me," Keira said, backing the shorter girl into the corner, her face and tone livid. "You stay away from her, you filthy little bitch, or I will make sure you won't see the light of day again. Do we understand each other?"

"Why don't you ask her why she picked me to be on her little committee?" Pansy asked sweetly as Keira's eyes widened.

"You... you bitch!" Keira cried, and losing control completely, she slapped Pansy hard across the face before storming off.

Pansy touched her cheek, laughing under her breath. "We'll see who has the last laugh, my dear... because Willow isn't being coerced into anything... not anymore."

Turning, she walked the opposite way, her cold laughter echoing in the long corridor.

Keira walked into the place where all of the birds were kept. She spotted Ailis quickly and moved to her raven. "Hey, girl," she said as Ailis flew down, landing neatly on her outstretched arm. "At least you understand..." she whispered, neatly stroking her raven's gorgeous black cover.

By the time she returned to the great hall for dinner, she made up her mind to be gentle when asking Willow what the hell she'd been thinking.

But Willow wasn't at dinner. In fact, neither was Ron, something Hermione noticed but didn't say anything about.

After forcing herself to study her History of Magic notes for another hour after dinner, she finally couldn't stand it anymore and walked up to Willow and Padma's room. Knocking a few times, Willow answered, looking wary.

"I suppose you want to know why," she said, holding the door open as Keira passed by in front of her.

"That would be a hell of a good start," Keira snapped. "Pansy Parkinson, Wil... Pansy Parkinson?"

"Look, I don't know this stuff, okay? She was the best choice and once she gets on her own, I happen to think she's rather nice!"

"Nice and manipulative, you mean, Willow. You're so naive! She's trying to manipulate you!"

"Then why is she helping out?" Willow retorted. "She and Blaise have done basically everything! The rest of our group, sans Ron, is hopeless!" Her face softened as she took in the shock on her close friend's face. "Besides, it's not like you care anyway."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Keira asked angrily.

"I read people well," Willow said, sitting on her bed and reaching for a teddy bear. "I know your parents had a really crappy marriage and you saw a lot--"

"Stop with the pity party, because I'm not interested," Keira said coldly.

"The point is, Keira, you don't want to go because you can't let it go," Willow said softly. "Do you know how many men would jump at the chance to go out with you?"

"Yeah, right," Keira muttered.

"Blaise Zabini told me that if you asked him, he would say yes in a second," Willow said gently. "And I'm sure Seamus or Dean or Neville or one of the others would--"

"Uh, how about not?" Keira asked, glaring at Willow. "I didn't come here to become some part of some squishy couple and get laid, all right? I came here to learn, and so far the only thing I've learned how to do is to hate someone I don't even know and protect the first friend I've ever met in the magical world. There... you happy now?"

Willow put the stuffed animal aside. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she finally said. "But we're working hard to make Friday a success. I really hope you decide to come, because I want my best friend there." Seeing the dark look on Keira's face, she continued. "I promise I'll watch my back around Blaise and Pansy, too. But you have to let all of that pent-up rage go... she doesn't deserve all of your hate."

"She's tried to ruin my life, Willow," Keira said, blinking. "And yours, too, remember?"

"It's all in the past," Willow said, glancing at her feet. "I just want there, for once, to be unity. You know... reality."

"If they transform us all into hyenas, I'm going to say 'I told you so'," Keira said dryly. Yet she crossed the small room and dropped down next to Willow, wrapping her arms around the redheaded girl.

"Thank you," Willow said, hugging her friend back.

"I don't condone what you did," Keira said, her eyes still full of pain, "but I know why you did it."

- - - - -

By the time Thursday night came around, everyone was beyond excited. Most costumes had arrived during owl post at lunch. Hedwig appeared with a mail-order owl carrying a large brown bundle. Willow took it and squealed as she examined the contents with Harry.

Meanwhile, Keira still hadn't asked anyone, and most everyone was taken or going stag. She'd finally ordered something, but wasn't expecting it till Friday, considering she'd just ordered it the night before.

Willow had been excused from lessons all of Friday to help prepare for the masquerade ball. Ron had been given that time, too.

Friday morning was full of excitement as everyone awoke to small black-and-orange bags stuffed full of both Muggle and non-Muggle candy were hanging on everyone's doors.

Keira's included a small apology note, which made her smile sadly. Willow always was considered the thoughtful one.

The only thing to put a damper on everyone's spirits was the History of Magic test at one that afternoon. Willow and Ron, along with Blaise, Pansy and the rest of their group, all took it before breakfast and came out of it, looking both pale and drowsy.

Decorating that morning was a full-time chore. Daire and the rest of her band mates appeared around lunch time with submarine sandwiches and sodas for all of the people trying to organize the large, circular room.

Willow and Ron did most of the arranging, while Blaise and two other boys hung large banners on the walls. Real fairies locked in a cage were delivered shortly after lunch. By the time mid-afternoon had come and Harry and Hermione visited, the place looked to be transformed into a real castle.

For one, there were realistic-looking dragons perched on the stone columns outside both entrances.

The caterer had just arrived and Pansy hurried over to help him unload his carts while Blaise and Annah chased around one of the charmed dragons which had broken loose and was stampeding all over the large gazebo at one end.

"This place looks fantastic," Harry said breathlessly as Willow walked up behind him, looping her arms over his shoulders.

"I know," she agreed, dropping her head on his shoulder. "Look at this world we made... isn't it pretty?'

"Not as pretty as you're about to be," Harry agreed, resting his head against hers.

Ron and Hermione were having a more private moment. Willow took Harry by the hand and led him around the large room. "I didn't know this room had two levels," he said as they walked upstairs.

"It was magically concealed," she said, as they crossed to a railing. Tiny orange string lights were hanging from the edge. Directly below them was a fountain of pumpkin juice, sprouting from three levels into a pool of the thick, orange liquid below.

"I can't wait till tonight," he said, pulling her closer.

"Mmm... neither can I," she agreed with a kittenish giggle, just as she heard Pansy calling her from below. "Duty calls," she said, pulling away with a regretful edge to her tone. "I'll see you in a few hours?"

"I'll pick you up from your room at ten to eight," he said, kissing her quickly as she darted off.

Keira smoothed the long, rich folds of fabric and stared at her reflection in the three-way mirror at the end of the hall on the sixth floor. Hearing a whistle sound behind her, she glanced up and met the reflection of a pair of eyes staring at her bare back from behind her.

"I didn't expect to see you," she said softly.

"You look amazing," the voice replied, soft brown eyes staring her up and down. "Almost like a queen."

"I don't think any queen would wear this," she said, turning, her long bare arms glistening from the effort of putting the dress on. It was a deep royal blue, with gold braiding. With it was the gold-sequined mask she wore over her eyes, concealing their obsidian depths. Her dark hair had been pulled up into a beautiful twist, a long length of gold braid acting like a headband.

"You shouldn't have to go alone," the voice said nervously, taking a few steps forward before offering her a small blue box. "I know it's against tradition, but I was hoping you would come with me tonight."

"I thought you had a date," she said, glancing at the figure in surprise as she removed her mask.

"I said no," the figure replied, pushing the box into her hands. "See, there's only one person I'd even consider going with tonight, and she didn't even have the guts to ask me."

Keira felt her breath catch in her throat as she opened the box. Inside was the most beautiful golden orchid. She let out a soft breath as he took it in his hands and pushed it onto her left wrist.

"See? Beautiful... just like you," the figure said, stepping closer and gently brushing a few black strands from her face. He could see his face reflected in her shining dark eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked softly, lifting a hand to hide the tears springing to her eyes. But his gentle hand moved up and captured hers, while tender fingers brushed the tears from her carefully made-up eyes.

"Because for once, just once... you deserve your chance to shine," the figure said, taking the box from her hands. "Say you'll go with me."

"How can I say no?" Keira asked, her lip trembling now. "You have no idea what this means... I was always the weird girl who never got asked out and now... thank you."

"No more tears," the boy said, moving to her side and examining her costume more critically.

Her own eyes were staring at his suit, royal blue with golden braid. "Did you plan this?" she asked breathlessly.

"I knew you'd never have enough courage to go against the norm, so yes," the figure said, giving her a soft smile. "Now, let's go before we're late."

"Willow--" she started.

"-- is being escorted by Harry," the figure replied, offering her his arm. "Now, please, come on. We don't want to miss one hell of a coronation."

Keira had no choice but to go with him. Inside, she was already glowing.

- - - - -

Willow was ready at ten to eight as she had promised. When she opened the door to let Harry in, she gasped and felt her jaw drop.

"I... wow..." she said softly.

"I think I'll raise you a wow and an 'oh my'," Harry said, his eyes nearly bugging out. For some odd reason, he sure as hell knew how to pick them.

Her costume was that of a stunning princess, or something like it, as she'd hastily explained. It was more daring than ninety-five percent of her wardrobe and yet she still amazed him with these risks she continued to take.

She was wearing a long, silver strapless gown. Most of her upper-body was sprinkled with some sort of glittery, shiny lotion or spray that made her skin glow. Her gown fell down to the floor and belled out dramatically, leaving room for her silver high-heeled sandals. Her hair was pinned up in a swirl, with tiny silver stars and rings of silver lining her hair. Her make-up was done to the point where she seemed to glow even more.

She was, in a word, intoxicating.

His coordinating costume was a full-up silver suit, complete with the matching shiny silver shoes. The tips of his hair had even been spiked with silver. He wore his own glow-in-the-dark silver mask on his face. She held one on a stick, a long strand of silver dangling from the edge, showing off a few more shiny stars.

All in all, they made a gorgeous couple yet again, he realized as he helped her into a shawl that was little more than a wisp of smoke across her shoulders.

"Where's Padma?" he asked conversationally as she grabbed a small silver clutch bag.

"She's with Parvati and her old Ravenclaw friends," Willow replied, grabbing her room keys and her lip gloss, sticking them both into her handbag, which she thought was ridiculous, yet it matched her outfit. "Shall we go?"

"We shall," he said, offering her his arm.

They reached the ballroom just shy of eight and found the parlor crowded with couples. Once inside though, she smiled at the real fairies floating above them. The dragons were roaring realistically, and the tables with actual rubber hands that were charmed to act real, were passing out snacks. The pumpkin juice fountain was a huge hit, as was the bar, which she spotted Blaise and Parvati.

"He went with her after all," Willow gasped softly. But Harry wasn't looking at them. His eyes were on the couple who had just walked in and were taking in the beautiful surroundings. "Keira?" she asked.

Keira released her date's arm and moved over to embrace her close friend. "It looks amazing!" she squealed. "And so do you... you look like a goddess!"

"And you look fantastic!" Willow said, hugging Keira again. They both paused to watch a mer-couple pass by, laughing as their tales kept whacking the floor, making squishy fish noises. There were many long, flowing ballroom gowns. There were cute costumes, such as a large pair of fuzzy dice walking around. One couple even dressed as a pair of butterbeer bottles, wearing cap-shaped goggles.

Another rather pleasant surprise was seeing Pansy Parkinson walk in with her date. Willow didn't see exactly who he was, but she recognized the outfit immediately. A strapless bra top with plenty of silver jewelry and red lipstick that was borderline black against her pale skin... the outfit matched Pansy's outfit perfectly.

She appeared to be the only one who saw her costume in a positive light, however.

"She looks like a tramp," Harry said, throwing Pansy a sneering look.

"She doesn't look that bad," Keira said, watching as her date approached the bar.

"Her date's in a toga," Aura laughed as she approached the group. "Oh, my goodness, Keira! You look smashing! So do you, Wil, and so does this room! How did you do it?"

"I believe it was with my help," said a cool voice. The group turned to see Pansy Parkinson standing there as Cleopatra herself, complete with the Elizabeth Taylor attitude. Willow was the first person to step forward and extend her hand.

"You did an awesome job, Pansy," she said, giving the woman a bright smile. Keira grudgingly agreed.

Pansy was stunned by Keira's change of heart, but didn't ask about it. Her date suddenly approached, and with him was Ron and Hermione. They were both wearing bright red riding habits and gear, looking as though they were having the time of their lives. They were both carrying firewhiskey and they both greeted the others before disappearing to the dance floor, depositing their drinks on the table.

"That's a first," Harry muttered, pulling Willow aside, his arms moving around her waist. "Do you... would you..."

"Dance with me?" she asked suddenly, taking one of his hands and dragging him under the bright, flashing orange lights.

And yet, compared to the Yule Ball four years ago, this seemed almost... casual. No evil Professors overlooking them to make sure every step was perfect. With Willow, he could finally relax and be himself.

She helped him place one hand on her waist and took the other firmly in hers as her opposite hand went to his shoulder and rested against his neck. They moved easily through the few dancers. Ron and Hermione were doing a rather interesting dance that looked more as though they were trying to leap vaults. But it was Keira's partner that his eyes rested on. "Hey," he said, leaning over to whisper into her ear. "Isn't that..."

"Yeah," she said, grinning up at Harry. "Couldn't you see that coming a mile away? I sure as hell couldn't."

"Imagine that," he said, turning Willow abruptly so he could keep his eyes on her. Willow moved him back slightly so she could peer over and stare, too. "I never thought he had it in him."

"I think they're cute," Willow said, a soppy look appearing on her face.

"You sap," he said, turning back to focus on her.

"And don't you forget it, mister," she said, wiggling her eyebrows. Forgetting all pretenses, he pulled her closer, wrapped his arms around her, and swayed to the music. Meanwhile, Willow's eyes closed as she rested her head contentedly on his shoulder.

It was a night they would all remember, she was sure. Photographers danced around, taking black-and-white moving photographs to be recorded in an album for later use.

Keira and her partner moved seamlessly through the crowds. He was surprisingly light on his feet, considering for the past ten minutes he'd been telling her how awful he'd used to be at dance. Until he had finally taken lessons.

"You're a great dancer," she said as they continued to tango around in their crazy half-circles.

"You're better," he offered.

"Not by much," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"Well, you never know," he replied, twirling her again. She gasped as he dipped her and as he pulled her back, their faces were inches apart.

Time seemed to stop moving around them. All that really existed was this tiny bubble she never knew existed. It was as though happiness were wrapped up within time, and it allowed her to see what she hadn't seen before. It allowed her to see with the eyes of a woman bowled over by kindness, generosity and boldness. She never would have expected it of him. She had mocked him, critiqued him and called him a coward.

But inside, she was the coward. She was the quivering little girl afraid of a real commitment. Willow was one of the only people she'd allowed to get close. And now this boy was standing before her, such sincerity in his gaze as he smiled at her. He wanted to be with her, here and tonight. His other date was glaring at him with such reprove that she felt slightly awkward, but when he held her... nothing else mattered.

She was still wrapped up in her bubble.

By eleven, most of the couples had moved to more private areas. Harry sat with Willow perched on top of him, both of them sipping butterbeer. Ron and Hermione were in the chairs next to them, drinking their firewhiskey and talking quietly.

Keira was still out on the dance floor, and Pansy and her date had taken over bar duties so that Blaise and Parvati could get a few dances in before the masquerade ball was over.

"I'll be back," Willow said softly, standing up and moving across the floor. As she did, Blaise caught her eye and he said something quietly to Parvati, who grinned at him, kissed his chin, and disappeared.

"I think I owe you this one dance," he said, prying her back onto the floor.

Meanwhile, Aura and Hermione practically had to push Harry back into his seat to keep him from storming across the floor in a jealous rage. Parvati, seeing the look on his face, quickly hurried over to claim her herself.

"For old time's sake," she said, tugging Harry upwards. "The one time we danced was crap, Potter, and you know it."

"Maybe just one," he said, glaring at Blaise from across the room.

Wicked was still playing, despite a forty-minute break in which they'd used a DJ. But now they were playing a song well familiar to Willow, and she closed her eyes to listen to it as she and Blaise drifted over the floor.

while she was lost in the lyrics, Blaise was gazing at the redhead in his arms and feeling slightly foolish. Was this the same woman he had played again and again at the beginning of the year? Was this the same woman he had once thought an idiot?

Was this the one girl who could actually befriend Pansy Parkinson and not get murdered by her true friends for doing so?

And why was Harry glaring at him like that. Smirking, he lowered his hand down to her waist, causing Willow to open her eyes and slap his arm. "Hey, no touchy-feely," she muttered into his shoulder.

"But you're so touchable," he teased as she pulled back, giving him a mocking pout. He just leaned over and brushed her red bangs from her eyes. "You look incredible, Wil. If anyone out there deserves the credit for tonight, it's you."

"It's all of us," she said quietly. "Besides, I feel kind of good knowing that you and Pansy, for once, stayed true to your word and helped us pull a rabbit out of a hat."

"It was a pretty big rabbit," he teased, as she smiled, and they continued to dance.

Harry, on the other hand, was moving like a statue. "Why are you going out with that jerk again?" he asked darkly.

"Don't call him that," Parvati said, glaring up at him. "He's grown up a lot since... well, since last month, really. He doesn't deserve your prissy attitude, and frankly I don't know why Willow puts up with it. You're so down about people. Maybe it's time you grew up, too."

He shut his mouth as they finished off the rest of the song.

Before long, Willow was back in Harry's arms as Wicked announced it was playing the final song of the evening. Everyone was up and dancing now, and suddenly a beautiful ring of candles was lit above them.

And the one song Willow had requested they play was playing.

_Looking back on the memory of the dance we shared 'neath the stars alone… for a moment all the world was right… how could I have known you would ever say goodbye?_

Keira glanced up into the masked face of the man who had, for once, swept her off her feet. She had not wanted to go at all, and now she couldn't imagine not wanting to go. Her hand reached up and touched his face and he turned to her, his eyes glistening behind his mask.

"You're still a coward, Isley," he said quietly.

"I don't see that changing much," she said softly.

"Maybe not yet… but give it some time…"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused as they continued to sway to the music.

"I think we should try doing this again," he said, indicating the fact that she was having fun in the company of one member of the opposite sex and she hadn't insulted him once that night. "You might enjoy it. I know I probably would."

"You must really like me if you actually want to spend time with me," she teased.

"Maybe I really do… or did you never consider that?" he asked softly.

She didn't have an answer for him.

_And now, I'm glad I didn't know how it all would end the way it all would go… our lives are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain, but I'd had to miss the dance..._

Ron and Hermione were barely moving to the music. All he felt was the way she breathed into his ear, and the intensity he felt every time she moved in his arms.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you looked tonight?" he asked her softly.

"Mmm," she sighed. "I heard it once or twice from you, yeah."

He gave her arm a light slap as she laughed, the sound resonating through his body. How he loved the sound of her laughter.

_Holding you I held everything… for a moment wasn't I a king… but if I'd only known how the king would fall, hey who's to say you know I chanced it at all…_

"How are you doing?" Harry asked worriedly. Willow had been clinging to his neck for the past few moments, making soft purring noises.

"Sssh," she said softly. "I like this song."

"More than you like me?" he asked.

She pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. Then, with a smirk worthy of Pansy Parkinson, she answered, "Maybe."

He kissed her then, something out of the blue. As they parted, he saw the way the frost-colored make-up she wore glistened in the candlelight from above. Raising her eyes softly, she grinned. "Or maybe not."

_And now, I'm glad I didn't know how it all would end the way it all would go… our lives are better left to chance, I would have missed the pain, but I'd had to miss the dance._

- - - - -

Two hours later, after they had both changed into comfortable sleepover clothes, they both grabbed their wands, their blankets and their pillows. Taking out two candles, she handed one to Willow and with a single incantation, their candles were lit.

They were met in the corridors by other faces holding candles. With a crate of goodies floating before them, the women climbed the stairs to find Keira.

She had just changed into a black nightshirt and appeared to be startled to see a large crate drop on her floor.

But she grinned at the surprise of a dozen candle-wielding figures floating behind it.

- - - - -

Chapter 14... Keira gets her inner-diva on; Pansy starts to realize that being nice will get her everywhere; Willow gets another dramatic surprise.

The song in the chapter above was the one this fic was named for, "The Dance" by Garth Brooks. It was requested at my sister's wedding reception, so I happen to think it's okay slow-dance music. Especially if you've had a lot of rum.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was longer for a reason. It's been over a month since I last posted, and I felt like finishing up this chapter for a Dance update. Three hours... three little hours tonight I took to write a third of it. I don't know if I got across what I wanted to, but for once Halloween was a good experience for all. I'm hoping one week between updates now, but you never know. They'll be slow in coming, I'm afraid. Work and work and family stuff and other stuff, and all that good. I'm still aiming for 25 chapters, so I'm about halfway done with this story. And it will have a point, which we're getting to shortly…

**BIGHARRYFAN** -- Thank you :) I felt bad for Pansy, but with what I intend to do with her, I'll feel sorry for whomever gets in her way... one thing about Dragons, when wounded in a corner, they become vicious.

**Krylancelo**-- I tend to update fast. Real life catches up fast though. Thanks!

**Vampyr**** Moon **-- I like my Malfoy too. So far I've written him as a total "prick" and as a sickeningly sweet guy. I wanted a moderation, so I chose creepy Malfoy. I love Willow FAR too much to let her be all "oh my God, revenge is so sweet" and all that. She's above all of that.

**dawn of the new world **-- Buffy will come in a few chapters, or so I'm thinking. I think it'll start when a little problem with Faith comes around...

**Jewel34 **-- many, many thanks :) I hope it stays that way!

**snave**** bobst **-- yeah, that was a typo. I should go back and fix it. This is really unbeta-ed so any mistakes I make are probably going to pass my eyes, since I read and reread these chapters so frequently sometimes. Willow/Percy? Not in this fic and probably not in this lifetime. For me, that choice was been Willow/Harry all the way. I just wanted to see where it would go. Other pairings are still up in the air, and I still have more OCs to introduce and stuff yet.

**Lucy** – wish granted, tonight. I hope you don't mind.


	14. The Good Girls

**Chapter 14**

**The Good Girls**

- - - - -

Sunday afternoon boasted the first of two Quidditch games to be played. Many were still tired and worn out from Halloween festivities, which had carried on into Saturday.

Willow joined Keira and Aura in the stands, wrapped in a thick black woolen cloak, shivering as a cold wind came from the north. While Harry's team wasn't to play until the second game, they still had an interest in the first, considering that Draco's team was playing the fourth team in the early match. Aura was already dressed as a Chaser, her broomstick slung over her shoulder as she dropped down next to Willow, peering intently at the flyers doing a rather small circle in the air.

"They look good," she said, biting her lip.

"You'll never know until you play them," Keira replied under her breath; she'd just caught Pansy and a few other Dragon girls making their way up the stands, laughing and chattering in one large, rowdy group. For once, she didn't make a wise-crack comment. She just bit back her retort and turned away.

Willow caught this motion and was surprised by it. "You're showing an awful lot of restraint," she said conversationally.

"Did you see the size of Pansy's date at the ball on Friday?" Keira asked faintly.

"It isn't as though you wouldn't have your own knight in armor to protect you," Aura pointed up, still squinting above. "Because wouldn't –"

"How about we don't talk about that?" Keira asked, a biting edge to her voice as she gave Aura a sideways glance. "It isn't as though it really matters anyway."

Willow gave her a sympathetic smile. She knew better than to push Keira to talk about what had happened Friday night. Keira had told her it was unexpected, sudden and, quite possibly, the most insane thing she had ever done. She was really anti-social when it came to dances, but if she organized them, she was detail-oriented to a tee. Willow was beginning to regret her decision not to make Keira a co-chair.

Hermione soon joined the trio, the house flag wrapped around her body as a banner as she took the open seat on the far side of Keira. "Beautiful day," she said, glancing at the blue and silver sky above them.

"If it were only ten degrees warmer," Keira moaned, her teeth chattering as she rubbed her bare hands together vigorously.

There were more students approaching them now, including Parvati who dropped down in the last seat next to Aura, whispering quickly into the taller girl's ear, her eyes on Pansy a few rows in front of them.

The Quidditch stands were quite a bit different from the stands they were used to. For one, they extended thirty feet in the air, making those unaccustomed to them positively faint when they climbed up and got their first view. They were also divided into two sections, one on each side, both curving the length of the stand, with three dividers in the center. The entire faculty took the middle rows, while the students, not separated by houses, were free to sit wherever they liked.

The teams were announced then. A few rows in front of them, Pansy shrieked and cheered loudly as her team soared around the pitch, coming to a rest at their starting positions.

Willow was watching in avid anticipation. She'd never seen a Quidditch match before.

The first game was incredible, she decided as the players finally reached the ground, the Captains shaking hands once the dragon-house team had claimed victory. It was hard to not cheer, especially when Aura and Parvati were both cheering rather loudly for Blaise. Once the final score was read, Aura stood and moved along the row to hurry down to her own changing room to prepare for the next match.

"What'd you think?" Keira asked Willow softly once they sat down again.

"Flying fifty feet in the air on a broomstick?" Willow asked, her voice slightly high-pitched. "I'd be terrified. I'm glad it's them and not me."

Keira looked at her a moment before shaking her head. "You are some piece of work, Rosenberg."

"Why, thank you Isley."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment," Keira said dryly. "You going to go wish your boyfriend good luck?"

"Uh, no," Willow said, glancing at all the curious stares around them. "Why don't you try vocalizing from the diaphragm… you'd get more volume that way."

"Sorry," Keira said with an uneasy giggle. "I was kind of hoping it would get the attention off of me for a while."

"And we don't want Keira to be the most talked about girl in school?" Willow asked teasingly.

"Not again," Keira warned her. "I think that dance was enough to get everyone talking."

"We could try mocking Ron and Hermione," Willow replied, giggling slightly as Hermione returned to her seat, a tray of snacks in hand.

"Were you two talking about me?" she asked, gazing at both of them as she set down the tray on the rail in front of them.

"It wasn't anything naughty," Keira assured her as she took a beverage cart and handed it to Hermione while Willow held onto the rest of the tray. "You were planning on feeding a small army here?"

"They were selling this down there," Hermione said vaguely.

"That, and you were saying goodbye to your boyfriend," Keira said in a sing-song voice.

Hermione took the tray from Keira's hands. "Let us not be reminded of a certain boy who—"

"Okay, you win," Keira said gloomily, accepting the cup Hermione handed her. "What's this?"

"Ooh, coffee, I knew I liked you," Willow said, giving Hermione a brilliant smile as she drank from her paper cup.

"Coffee and popcorn," Keira commented, as the three women sat down, cradling their cups, three bright red and gold boxes sitting on the cardboard tray before them.

"I think I see some nachos… may we?" Willow asked.

"Help yourselves!" Hermione replied, taking a sip of her own coffee.

They were just getting resettled when Parvati returned, tugging a victorious Blaise with her. Blaise openly groaned when he noticed the three women sitting where Parvati had been before.

"Oh, shut up," Willow said, shoving her box of popcorn into his folded arms. "Eat something… it'll keep your mouth more occupied."

Parvati turned a slight shade of pink as Keira nearly doubled over next to her.

Blaise regarded Willow for a moment. "Fair enough," he said, taking her popcorn.

At that moment, the loudspeakers crackled to life as both teams took to the air. Abandoning her coffee at her feet, Willow jumped up, cheering loudly as Harry soared over their heads. Hermione turned to the banner she'd tied to their railing and waved a small flag in the air.

This game was much more exciting that the first and the score was always close. Aura flew particularly well with both Kaz and Ron, their practice eventually winning out against the lesser skilled Keeper at the other end of the pitch.

"You guys enjoying the game?" Padma asked as she and her friends squeezed into the row behind the group. Willow gave a small jump, all of her attention on the game as both she and Keira spun around to see Padma staring at the back of Blaise's head, her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Now that's the kind of company I never thought you'd keep."

"I kind of like it," Willow said, an evil grin spreading across her face.

"Is this the keep your friends close but enemies closer?" Padma asked, eyeing her twin curiously. "Because Willow and Blaise aren't enemies, Parv."

"I know," Parvati said, threading her arm through Blaise's. "I know that whole school unity thing was spoken of about three years ago, but better late than never is my assumption."

"Speaking of unions," Hermione said, leaning over Keira's opposite shoulder. "Look who's coming this way!"

Keira moaned and averted her eyes, turning to look up at Padma. She didn't want to be seen. She didn't want a hundred more eyes staring at her, wondering in speculation on how she'd managed to wangle a date from nothing and manage to turn it into the world's biggest gossip festival.

Luckily for her, the small group passed onwards, choosing to sit directly behind Pansy's group, all the while cheering for their house team as Harry soared overhead, glancing this way and that for the golden snitch.

The game ended less than fifteen minutes later in one of the most exciting finishes known to date. Harry caught the snitch, winning the game, but only winning it by twenty points. There were red lines on Hermione's face where she'd been clutching it with her fingernails, looking appalled at how badly their Keeper was playing. Of course, when you had a Conjuration Keeper, things tended to go badly.

Padma leaned forward again, smirking slightly as Hermione and Willow exchanged a relieved look. "Anyways, you lot, there's a party in the social hall. You can bring your significant others. You can bring yours, too, Keir," she added, prodding Keira's shoulder before she slid out of her seat and along the row.

"I do _not_ have a significant other," Keira raged, turning to glare at Padma, but she was already moving away. From either side of her, Hermione and Willow were giggling. "Come on, you two, let's get out of here… before I become the center of—"

"Hello, Isley."

"Attention," Keira finished with a moan, coming about to face Pansy Parkinson, walking up with the rest of her friends. "To what do I owe this honor, Parkinson?"

"I'm not about to throw punches, so let your guard down," Pansy said sweetly, her eyes wide and innocent as ever. "I'll let your new _paramour _make those."

Keira's eyes grew livid with rage, and it took the combined strength of Willow, Hermione and Parvati to hold her back. Blaise even stepped in between them, gently nudging Keira away.

"Now, now, Pansy… it's not wise to provoke the girl who has many friends here," he told her sternly.

"Oh, Blaise, don't give me that crap," she snapped, her voice returning to its normal dulcet tone. "Just because you're making cow eyes with this… this milk dud… don't come crawling back to our house to save your reputation. You just let that slide, didn't you?"

"How dare you!" Parvati gasped.

"All right, girls, not here," Willow said, deciding it was her turn to intervene. "Don't make me separate you!"

But this wasn't about to be solved with logic. Parvati was gasping in indignation while Blaise stood there, looking both wounded and frustrated. Keira was gaping like a pucker fish while Hermione looked wary and all the while Pansy stood there, glowing in her usual stance.

"_Separate_," Willow said finally, as Pansy was pushed back against her own crowd of girls, many of them faltering a few steps. The other group on her right was also pushed back to a point where there was a clear distance between them. "Now, Pansy, I suggest you leave before you cause any more trouble, since that's what you're best at." Nodding respectfully at her, Willow took Keira's arm and dragged her backwards. Hermione, accepting defeat at this point, followed them.

"Don't let her provoke you," Hermione chastised once they were out of the throng of crowds leaving the stadium behind. "She'll just eat you alive."

"It's what Pansy's best at," Willow agreed, as they had both latched onto Keira and pulled her forward. "Let's go and check out that party, okay?"

"Whatever," Keira replied, shaking her head but allowing herself to be dragged out by her friends, "it's not like a really had a choice anyway."

- - - - -

"You're dropping your arm!" Professor Gabon shouted at Keira, who turned, her bow in hand. "Keep your wrist level with your chin. You'll achieve better accuracy that way."

Keira rolled her eyes and lifted her elbow, the line taut in her fingertips.

It was then she felt a pair of cold hands seize her shoulders, one hand forcefully pushing her shooting arm up while the other straightened the arm that held the bow.

"Try it this way, Isley. This is the way I have taught you, have I not?"

It was Monday and with it came another Practical Defense class. They had decided to take a break from physical fitness exercises and take up archery. Professor Gabon and her two assistants were walking down a row of twenty students, turning them into a perfect series of archers.

Unfortunately, today was also the day that Professor Gabon wished to pick on Keira. No matter how hard she tried to hold the stance, she couldn't.

"Fire the arrow, Isley," Professor Gabon said, her cold, crisp voice ringing in Keira's ears. "Just fire the arrow."

Keira released the arrow, watching it spin flawlessly to the board on the other end of the classroom, the mark hitting just above the small yellow dot in the center.

"Nicely done," Professor Gabon said, as the rest of the archers quickly released their own arrows. "Let's see you try that one again without my assistance."

Keira took a second arrow and prepared to fire, watching as Professor Gabon moved down to Harry, standing next in line. On her left, Aura took a step towards her. "Want me to fire an arrow into her ass? It'll teach her to mess with my girls."

"No, it's okay," Keira replied, lifting up her arrow. "I'll just keep incensing her on purpose. It's rather fun, you know."

Aura let out a tiny giggle and received a harsh look from one of the assistants bearing down on her. She turned the giggle into a hoarse cough and quickly moved back into place.

Once she had finished her turn, she handed the bow over to Leo and sat on the bleacher row behind her, removing her wrist guards. She felt someone sit next to her and didn't need to look up to see who it was. The way his eyes fell on her made her skin tingle.

"You're getting pretty good," he said softly, leaning against the bleacher behind him, watching as Professor Gabon swooped down upon Parvati Patil like a hawk.

"I think I like archery," Keira replied, still not looking at him as she scraped a bit of tape off of one of the foam protectors.

"You can't avoid this forever, Keira," he said, staring out at the rest of the class.

She bit her lip, nodding. "I know I can't," she replied. "But the last thing I need is more public ridicule. I… I just…"

"You know what your problem is?" he asked edgily.

"I made Draco Malfoy my enemy the first day of school?" she asked, arching one eyebrow as she met his gaze at last. "Yeah, I got that the first time around. My life has been nothing but on public display here. Are you sure you want to face that? Listen to what they've been saying about us… I don't want you to face that anymore than I have to."

"I'll get used to it," he said, his voice rising.

"No," she said calmly, standing up, throwing her wrist guards on the metallic seat. "I won't let them take you down with me."

"I've been taken down by them before," he replied, also standing and reaching for her arm, which she twisted conveniently away from his grasp. "Don't make this any harder than it already is."

Across the room, Harry, Hermione and Ron had turned to see the pair standing at the far end of the seats, arguing.

"I guess there's more trouble in paradise," Harry muttered.

"I don't think there'll ever be one," Hermione said sadly.

"Not even for them?" Ron asked.

"Especially not for them," Hermione replied. "Can you imagine two different people like that?"

"They were rather adorable at the masquerade together," Harry pointed out.

"But they'll be on gossipers tongues for the rest of the century unless we do something," Hermione said.

"What can we do?" Ron asked.

"I think I have an idea," Hermione replied, crossing her arms as she watched Keira walk away, looking a lot less happy and more miserable than any of the trio had seen her. "But I think I need Willow on this."

"I think I like your plans," Ron said, grinning at her. She gave him a mock glare as she punched his arm. Above them, the bell tolled, signaling the end of lesson and the start of lunch.

Willow met Keira outside the Great Hall, her eyes full of concern when she saw the expression on Keira's face.

"I don't want to talk about it," Keira said, eyeing the curious students walking past them.

"We won't," Willow assured her, knowing that Keira would open up to her when she was good and ready. Instead, she took Keira's arm and they walked inside the hall together for lunch.

Harry and Ron joined them a few minutes later. Harry took his usual seat next to Willow, who was already halfway done with her food. "Hi," he said.

"Hello," she replied, a big goofy grin on her face. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he loaded his plate one-handedly.

"How was Mister Weasley's class?" Harry asked teasingly.

"Enlightening," Willow replied. "I got to transfigure buttons into fungi today. And I did it without a wand."

"I keep forgetting you are the wand-less witch," Ron said, taking the seat across from Harry. Hermione was still nowhere in sight. "How boring are my brother's classes, anyway?"

"I find them challenging," she said, frowning slightly at Ron's reaction. "Besides, I think your brother is really nice."

Harry and Ron exchanged a dark look before returning to their lunches.

"What is it?" she asked, glancing at both of them. "I mean, he can't possibly be that bad!"

"He tried to convict me on an underage-use-of-magic charge three years ago," Harry said bitterly. "This was after he walked out on his family, believing them all to be in a pack of liars."

It was the Voldemort issue again, Willow realized, folding her arms on the table.

"Even when it was confirmed that Voldemort had come back," Harry continued, seeing the usual wince as he used a name that hadn't been spoken of in months, "he refused to go back to the Weasleys'. To him, they were just poor and useless, as he often told his family."

"The only reason Percy is here in the first place is because he owed my father," Ron said, his face an ugly shade of pale grey. "He promised to teach for two years, and this is just part of the agreement he made after my brother was arrested for torturing supporters of Dumbledore."

"He is the old Headmaster at Hogwarts," Dean Thomas said from the other side of Harry.

"Got it," Willow replied.

"He kept saying he was under the Imperious curse, but any who knew him said that he was acting of his own free will," Ron continued. "It was horrible. There was a trial and everything. His sentence was to serve two years of community service and apparently this qualified."

"That's terrible," Keira said softly under her breath.

"It's the truth," Neville said darkly from the opposite side of Ron, across the table from Willow. "He was the one that attacked my Gran and in the end…"

"He killed your grandmother?" Keira asked, her eyes widening in horror. Willow gasped from next to him.

"No," Neville said, not meeting her eyes. "He tortured her into insanity."

Willow's jaw dropped as she turned back to Ron, who was nodding grimly. "I had no idea…" she said, her voice an echo of what it had been.

"It's been out of the papers for the public's safety," Harry said bitterly. "But it all began three years ago when that sniveling little moron was made an assistant to the Minister of Magic."

"I don't believe this," Keira said softly, running a hand through her dark hair. "I always thought he was an okay kind of guy."

"I've been befriending him," Willow said, sounding mortified. "I served on his student committee… my God, what was I thinking?"

"Wil, it wasn't your fault," Harry said, taking her hand. "Honestly, it'd be better if neither of you knew the truth. Only a few of us know what happened… and because Ron's his brother, I know."

Willow was trying hard to blink back tears, but through the haze all she could see was Percy with a vicious smile on his face, his wand raised as he tortured a poor old lady into a gibbering mess. She shook her head. "It's not something I could forget," she whispered. "I guess it's true what they say… your perception of someone can change with just a single action."

"It isn't to say that he hasn't changed, Willow, because he has," Ron said insistently. "I don't think he'd ever do what he did before."

"I hope not," Willow said, her voice hard. "Because I would kill him if he tried to touch me."

Harry didn't like the darkness in his girlfriend's voice or the sparkle in her eye. She returned to her plate then without another word. He saw Keira's gaze then. It was quite sad and full of pity and it wasn't directed at either Willow or Ron. With a sigh, she stared at the casserole on her plate, ignoring the stares she was receiving up and down the table.

Lunch ended on a quiet note. On their way to History of Magic, Hermione appeared out of nowhere at Willow's side. "Do you have a minute?" she breathed into her ear.

"Of course," Willow replied, pausing. Keira turned to glance back at her. "Go, I'll catch up!" she called before turning in the opposite direction against traffic with Hermione. The girl led her around the corner, glancing back into the line of traffic to see if they'd been followed. "Hermione, what's this all about? We're going to be late for class!"

"It's about Keira and—"

"If you say his name, I will hex you," Willow replied sharply.

"Well, they have class tonight together and I—"

"Whatever it is you and the others are planning, I want no part of it," Willow replied, putting her hands in the air. "I'm not one for matchmaking. I'm just the good girl."

"You being the good girl is putting a really bad hamper on my plans," Hermione interjected. "I'm just saying that maybe they'd work through things if they weren't always in the public spotlight. Practical Potions is perfect for that."

"Right," Willow said sarcastically. 'And my name _isn't_ Willow. These kinds of tricks never work, Hermione!"

"They worked on you, didn't they?" Hermione retorted. "Keira is acting far too much the hero to be considered as one. You'll probably be saving her from heartache in the end."

"But can he tolerate the pressure?" Willow asked. "She's got enough of the public eye as it is!"

"They'll get used to it, we all do in the end," Hermione said, waving her hand impatiently. "Just look at Harry. He's the boy-who-lived and he still deals with it. I'm astonished you're not in the public eye as the girl-who-dated-the-boy-who-lived."

"You have a point," Willow replied, sighing. "All right, I'll say something to her; try to convince her of something. I don't know. We better go… the bell is going to ring any second."

As both girls emerged from the corridor, the bell rang above their heads and they both dashed madly into History of Magic.

Willow took her usual seat between Keira and Harry, breathing hard. Keira was watching her as she pulled out her notes and her quill. When she was finally ready to take notes, Keira seized a corner of her parchment and pulled it to her, scribbling, _Where__ were you?_

_Hermione had a problem. I chose to help_, Willow replied, writing quickly, trying to keep her eyes on the Professor, who was glancing at them curiously, wondering why Willow and Keira were already taking notes when she hadn't yet begun lecturing.

Willow put out her hand to stop Keira's frenzied response until their Professor started talking. Her lecture this week was on Wiccan studies and the history of Wicca in the world.

This completely drew Willow's attention and she yanked back her parchment, taking note after note. Even Keira seemed more interested than normal, considering she hadn't yet fallen asleep during class. Once the bell rang, they both rose.

"I thought that was good," Willow said, stretching as she copied the homework assignment from the board.

"I didn't even fall asleep!" Keira cried, elated.

The Professor and her assistant were passing back homework scrolls as they left the classroom. Willow grinned at her 'E' before turning towards Keira, who was beaming at her own 'E'. "Not bad," Willow said with a grin as the two left the lecture hall. "What are you going to do now?"

"I have Sciocco practice till dinner," Keira replied, checking the large clock overhead as they passed through the corridors.

"I'll go to the library, then," Willow sighed. "I probably should get this History of Magic assignment done."

"You'll probably ace it as it is, you Wicca," Keira snapped, feeling grumpy as she pulled her loaded bag onto her shoulder. "See you at dinner?"

"See you then!" Willow said cheerfully, turning in the opposite direction and hurrying away.

Once in the library, she secured herself her usual study corner and propped her textbook up, writing out her assignment. After a moment, she had the feeling she was being watched. Glancing up, she looked around. For a Monday afternoon in November, the library was relatively quiet. There were a series of examinations coming up before Christmas and if anyone wanted to pass their first few classes, a lot of studying needed to be done. Shrugging, Willow returned to her essay and blew on the shimmering black ink, willing it to dry faster.

After completing half of her essay, she turned to her Runes assignment, studying out of several large dictionaries spread on the table before her, a large, complicated chart in front of her as she translated carefully, symbol by symbol.

It was then she felt as though she were being watched. Abandoning her things for a moment, she rose and slowly turned, moving through the stacks.

There was no doubt about it. Someone was moving parallel with her.

She moved a bit faster, eager to reach the end of the aisle. Her hands were ready to perform Wiccan magic, illegal or not. No one should have the privilege of spying or even stalking. But when she turned the corner, she saw it was empty.

"Odd," she whispered. From behind her, she heard a giggle. Two girls were huddled over the latest print of the school publication and glanced at her as she turned to them. "You didn't happen to see anyone around, have you?" she asked vaguely.

One of them, a pretty dark-skinned girl known only by the name of Anin Mahil, shook her head. "No… I think you're the only one we've seen walking back and forth here."

"Sorry," the other girl offered, setting the publication aside.

"It's okay," Willow replied. "Thanks."

But it was the look of confusion on Anin's face that made Willow turn around. Her eyes widened as a beautiful black bird came soaring from the shadows and landed perfectly on the uppermost shelf, staring down at Willow with one fierce orange eye. And then she understood.

"Ailis," she whispered.

"What?" Anin asked, her eyes still on the raven. "That thing has a name?"

"It's Keira's bird," Willow replied, holding out her arm. Ailis, recognizing friend from foe, fluttered down and landed on Willow's arm, cawing. "I don't think she's ever been inside the school."

"All school pets are kept in the shelter provided near the gates," the other girl replied.

"I'm sorry," Willow said, glancing at her. "I don't know your name."

"Oh," the girl said, her face turning pink. "My name is Adrie. I'm from Amsterdam."

"You speak good English for being Dutch," Willow said approvingly, turning as Ailis bent forward, pecking at her reddish hair. "Ouch, you damn bird… what are you doing in the library? Are you looking for Keira? She's outside, playing that dreadful Sciocco game."

"I'm on her Sciocco team," Anin said, her eyes crinkling in confusion. "There's no practice this afternoon… it's only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."

"What?" Willow gasped, unable to believe that Keira would lie to her. Ailis gave another caw and Willow turned to look at the bird. "What do you know, Ailis? Where's Keira?"

The raven spread her wings and took off again, heading like a shadow through the length of the library. She heard gasps and cries as the bird was sighted flying right through the open doors.

"I guess that means I'm following," Willow muttered, turning on her heel and dashing after the bird, bursting through the doors, Anin and Adrie following closely behind.

"Where are we going?" Anin gasped as they ran down the hallway.

"I have to find Keira," Willow replied, pausing at the doorway leading outside before pushing the door and walking into the cold sunlight. Ailis was perched on one of the torch lights, waiting for her. "I'm here," she told the raven. "Now, where is she?"

Willow took off running again, her robes swirling around her as they ran through the backdoor and down the path, through the trees, and towards the Quidditch pitch and the Sciocco stadium. The raven was almost directly overhead, her piercing cry filling the afternoon. Anin and Adrie remained behind her, breathing hard and catching up as Willow pressed her hands to her ribcage, panting. "How much farther is school property?"

"It's the entire length of the peninsula," Anin gasped.

"Right," Willow said. "Could you back and alert security?"

"There's no need," Adrie said, pointing. "Look."

Willow spun around and gasped. Down by the beach, near the shores of a rather volatile Atlantic Ocean, was Keira. "Stay here," she told the other two as she rushed down to meet her friend, Ailis circling high above their heads.

"Keira!" she shouted.

"I knew you'd find me here," the Irish girl said, turning to face her. "You must think me pretty damned foolish to send my bird for you."

"What's wrong? Why did you lie to me?" Willow demanded, finally reaching Keira's side and throwing her arms around the other girl. "Don't you do that to me again! You nearly scared me to death, Keir!"

"I didn't mean to," Keira said softly. "It's just that today is November third… and I always remember it as the day my mother died."

Willow suddenly understood. "Oh," she said, stepping away. "Well… that's…"

"It was the hardest day of my life," Keira said, turning to gaze at the ocean, the surf crashing and spreading just shy of their feet before withdrawing back into its own cold current. "I always feel so small here. I feel like I'm part of this big world that exists just so others can live and die in pain. My mother's death was horrible for me and it brought me to my father, a man I wish I never met… he tried so hard to make sure I would never become a Witch. I feel kind of glad that I defied him…"

"I'm glad you did," Willow said, wrapping a comforting arm over Keira's shoulders.

"I'm sorry I told you otherwise," Keira replied, walking a few steps forward towards the thundering surf. "It's just that I needed a moment to breathe, you know? Everything has been happening so fast… this, classes, that dance, and…" Her voice cut off as she turned to Willow, her eyes full of anguish. "Would I be lying to you if I told you I didn't have feelings for him?"

"Yes, you would," Willow replied, walking over to her close friend and standing at her side. "I saw you on Friday night, Keir. You looked happy and for once in your life, you looked as though you were enjoying yourself."

"I've never been in love before, Wil," she said, sounding uncomfortable about even discussing it. "My parents separated when I was too young to remember… I have no concept of it… until…"

"I think you've been swept off your feet, Keira," Willow said softly. "It happens to all of us in the end."

"I suppose," Keira said quietly, staring out at the setting sun and smiling as the last few rays fell across her face. "I just never thought I would get this sentimental. This is what my mother always wanted me to do… and now here I am, at this school with the first magical friends I've ever had in my entire life and a potential boyfriend, if I haven't chased him away yet."

"Tell him tonight at Potions," Willow prompted her. "I know you can."

"I'll think about it," Keira said, turning away from the water at last. "Can we go back now? I'm freezing and it looks like we have a few gossip mongers about."

"They were just wondering why your raven was fluttering about the library," Willow said easily. "How about we collect my things and I'll take you to that little coffee shop? We can have dinner and talk a bit before class tonight…"

"I think it sounds great," Keira said, her eyes twinkling. "I would be happy to tell you about my mother."

Together, the two walked slowly up the hill towards the school.

- - - - -

Practical Potions was always a nightmare for some students, but others rather enjoyed it. Ron was one of those that enjoyed working on Potions now, especially since Willow, or Harry's "Little Red" was his partner. She was rather competent, and since she did their Potions report, she almost always ensured one of the highest grades.

Tonight though, she seemed distracted as she watched Keira and Neville work.

He leaned down over her shoulder, shoving a half cup of lemon juice into her hand. "Are you seeing the same thing I'm seeing?"

"Yeah," Willow replied, adding the juice to their cauldron. "What's next?"

"Stir for two minutes counter-clockwise," Ron said, reading from the instructions he had hastily jotted down on a bit of parchment. "Simmer for four minutes until the potion turns green… what are you staring at?"

"Keira," Willow said, making smooth, even strokes with her spoon as she stirred their composition.

"Is it true her raven showed up in the library and pecked Malfoy to death?" Ron asked, a bit of hope in his voice.

"Oh, yeah, like that'd happen," Willow replied, keeping her eyes trained to the back of Keira's head as she continued to stir the potion. "How much time do I have left?"

"One minute, twenty seconds," Ron said, glancing at the stopwatch she'd brought to class. She continued stirring. Across the room, Keira and Neville were working well together, although he noticed that she seemed tense and even wary around him.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"I'm good," she replied, setting the spoon aside and glancing at the watch on her wrist to mark for four minutes. "I'm just a little tired."

"Keira, when you told me that today was…"

"I know what I told you," Keira replied. "And you were right. Telling Willow made me feel a little better, but then again, telling the guy I actually like the truth about today was the hardest part."

Neville nodded and covered her hand with his. She turned it slightly so their palms were facing and laced her fingers through his. "Does this make sense?"

"I don't know," he replied, staring at their hands in disbelief. "It's what I wanted, and yet…"

"I know," she said, pulling her hand from the warmth of his. "I'm sorry… I was too… impulsive…"

But he reached across and took her hand again. "Not in the least," he assured her. "What I told you that night was true… I like you, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it."

She smiled at him, tears welling in her eyes before she broke contact and threw her arms around him.

From across the room, Willow set her own spoon down with a satisfied smile. "Gotcha," she whispered in triumph.

After class, Harry walked Willow back to her room. "I bet everyone will be talking about that for a week," Harry commented as they climbed the stairs between floors two and three.

"Who cares if they do?" Willow asked. "I bet it'll be worth it in the end. Besides, I'm dating the boy-who-lived… you'd think _we'd_ be big news."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe we are, in Albania or something. But here is where I like us to be."

They stopped just short of her door when Padma came out, looking rather irate and closing the door behind her. "Oh, Willow, you're here!" she said, looking at both of them in surprise. "This came for you a few minutes ago," she said, handing her roommate and envelope. "And you have a visitor inside who said she'd wait for you."

"I'll see you in the morning," Harry said, kissing Willow's cheek before continuing on towards his own floor. Turning back to Padma to say her thanks, she realized that Padma was already disappearing down the hall, dragging her loaded backpack with her. With a sigh, Willow opened the envelope and scanned the contents within.

What she read made her gasp, "Oh my God!" She pulled out her keys and pushed the door open, fully intending on getting her calling card and making the call back to California.

What she didn't realize was that she'd forgotten that someone was already inside, waiting for her. Sitting on the end of her bed was Pansy Parkinson. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her middle and when she saw Willow, she started to cry.

"I know that everyone says you're the person to go to when they need to talk," she said with great hiccupping sobs, "and right now, I really need someone to talk to…"

Willow felt as though her mind were on overload. "Pansy, there's something I have to deal with, something at home," she said, giving the girl a rushed smile as she filtered through her train case, searching for her phone card.

"I need to tell someone that I trust…" Pansy continued, her eyes widening as Willow found what she was looking for and straightened up.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise," Willow replied, turning to leave the room.

"I'm pregnant," Pansy whispered.

Willow turned hesitantly, time seeming to halt around her as the letter and her phone card fell from her hand onto the floor. Her eyes widened in disbelief as they met Pansy's fearful orbs, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Slowly, she turned back towards the door and pushed it closed, sealing off the world outside.

- - - - -

In the next chapter: the surprises keep on coming as Keira and Pansy's rivalry comes to blows at last. Willow gets shocking news from the home front and confronts Percy about his past decisions, throwing the student-teacher friendship into jeopardy.

This was your first "Dance" update of the year! I'm really excited to finish this fiction, as it is now more than halfway done! A lot of things were revealed in this chapter, such as how Percy got involved as a teacher in the first place, who Keira went to the dance with (although I had intended for this pairing from the very beginning and realized that some astute readers KNEW who it was), and I commemorated the death of Keira's mother.

In the chapters to come, there is a lot more drama, a lot more romance, and a little visit from certain Scoobies starting two chapters from now. Just to let you know, they _are_ visiting soon!

And, of course, here are the reviewer's comments:

**Chrios** Well, if you read this, you'd know who he is! And no, it definitely wasn't Draco. I hope you've healed after your hockey injuries! As a huge hockey fan and as someone playing for nineteen years, they do come around often, don't they?

**Dawn of the new world:** Well, can I make it up to you if they _do_ make a visit soon? I love the Dingoes, too, but right now isn't the best time for them.

**TaiOokamiYoukai**They'll be coming soon, I can assure you. We needed a bit of a "situation" first… so I had to throw one in… and it began in this chapter.

**BigHarryFan** You have my eternal thanks and gratitude. I am so lucky to have a fan like you! I hope you continue to like this story, through all the different journeys it has taken!

**Crazy-VampireSlayer:** Oz's storyline will come back soon enough, I'll assure you. As for who Keira danced with, I left it out purposely, but gave a few random hints in preceding chapters about who "might" ask her… and it was answered in this past one. Well, sort of.

**snave**** bobst:** actually, you were right. I'm impressed… well done on the prophetic side of things, don't you think?

**Krylancelo**You're quite welcome. I think Oz'll make his appearance later, and it won't be Pansy bringing him over. As you can read, she's got enough problems to be going on now than to mess with other people's lives. Besides, she apparently likes Willow now… but that may just be a momentary thing.


	15. Smile

**Chapter 15**

**Smile**

x-o-x

Willow couldn't get her mind to focus the next morning. She'd had enough of people coming to her with their problems. Hearing Pansy's pregnancy concerns had been a little over the top. Having the note from California hadn't been settling either. When Padma had returned to their room later that night, Willow had basically said nothing as she'd stared at her textbooks, forcing her mind to process the information. She hadn't been able to, and when Potions came around the next morning, she found herself rolling over in her bed. She hadn't wanted to go to class. Padma questioned why her roommate had the temperament of saber-tooth tiger but hadn't called her on it. Willow was grateful. In a way, it made the events of the previous evening that much easier to bear.

There had been a note, foretelling of Faith's sudden escape from her comatose condition and her attack on Buffy. Then, without warning, she'd simply vanished. When Willow had finally been able to get through to Sunnydale, Buffy was recovering in the hospital from a serious head wound while Xander angrily said that Faith had overheard them talking about Willow being abroad. Her suspicions were confirmed when she suddenly realized that Faith knew where she was.

She chose to skip lunch to concentrate on doing the homework she'd been unable to do the night before. But she wasn't apparently hidden from all eyes as Hermione came around the corner to ask why Willow was in such a bad mood.

"Where do I begin?" Willow asked, setting her quill aside and glancing up at the wavy-haired woman standing in front of her study table.

"Padma told me that Pansy Parkinson was in your room for several hours last night," Hermione blurted, obviously interested in hearing what was going on with the girl she considered an enemy.

"She was," Willow confirmed, glancing down at her Runes book and dipping her quill in the tiny bottle of ink.

"Is something wrong with her?" Hermione asked.

She sounded a little too pleased about that, Willow decided. "Not really," she said casually, carefully finishing her translation and pushing the parchment away so that it could dry. "She just wanted to talk to someone who wasn't going to mock her."

Hermione turned a slight shade of pink and looked away, but inside Willow felt slightly guilty. She considered Hermione to be a friend and knew she should confide in someone before her head exploded, but she wasn't sure Hermione was the right person. Hermione had known Pansy from Hogwarts and she knew that the two had been enemies. Keira was a terrible person to confide in, she thought, considering that Keira and Pansy despised one another. Harry was out, as was Ron. She could go to Aura, but Aura had the same opinion of Pansy as Keira did. There was one person Willow considered confiding in, but she knew that doing so would completely piss off Harry and his friends.

Which left her in the current situation, she thought heavily, watching as Hermione invited herself to sit down, trying in vain to look concerned. "Is that all that's bothering you?" she asked quietly.

"No," Willow said, closing her Runes dictionary and pushing it away, "it's not. I got a letter from home yesterday. Apparently someone I knew once has escaped from… prison."

"Really," Hermione said, looking vaguely interested. Willow knew that of all of her new friends, Hermione would be the one most likely to understand _this _particular situation.

"She… she hurt people I care about," Willow began lamely, gesturing. She felt quite stupid since Hermione's eyes had yet to leave her face, but she really wanted to get the point across: Faith was out of jail and it was going to scare her to death. "She's gone after them again."

"You don't think she'd ever find you here," Hermione said quietly.

Willow shrugged. "I'm not really sure about that," she said in a glum tone. "If she wants to hurt me, she'll find a way… I'm the only one she hasn't tried to kill yet."

Hermione's eyes widened at this revelation. "Is she… magical, like you?" she asked in her curiously breathless tone. "If not, she won't find a way inside this school!"

Willow highly doubted that. When Faith wanted something, she usually worked both hell and high water to get it. But, the truth was, Faith was as magical as Buffy was. Slowly, she nodded. "She knows some stuff. I don't think these walls could hold her out. She may not have a lot of power, but the powers she has… you don't want to get in her way."

"Is she really that dangerous?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yes, she is," Willow replied, closing her book and pushing it on top of the rest of the stack. "You have no idea what you'd be meddling in if you came across her."

"We have magic though," Hermione persisted.

"You think that matters?" Willow asked sharply. She knew she was breaching into secret territory here, but she knew also that if she entrusted Hermione with the truth, Hermione wouldn't be one to gossip about it. "She's a Slayer."

"She's a what?" Hermione asked, looking confused.

For goodness sake! Hermione knew far too much than someone her age should because she kept her nose buried in books. Why couldn't she have picked up 'the Slayer' from one of them?

"I've already said too much," Willow said, picking up her Runes translation and blowing lightly on the parchment. It was nearly dry. "No one is supposed to know about them."

"And yet you do," Hermione said, arching her eyebrows in surprise.

"There's a reason behind that," Willow said quietly. "I think it has something to do about the fact there's two of them."

"But there's only supposed to be one!" Hermione insisted.

Willow felt a smile break across her face despite her best efforts to hide it. Damn, that Hermione Granger could be sneaky when she wanted to be. "There are two," she confirmed. "One is one of my best friends and the other is… well… psychotic."

Hermione's look was sympathetic as she watched Willow's anxious movements. "And now the psychotic one may be coming after you?" she asked.

Willow nodded as she shoved her books back into her bag as the bell tolled in the clock tower. "I need to get to class," she said abruptly.

"Willow," Hermione said, watching as her friend stalked off, but the redhead didn't turn around. As she swept away, Hermione felt slightly empty as she stared at the table in front of her. Something was really bothering Willow, because she was always kind to everyone. Today she was acting as though she were completely stressed out. Keira had expressed her concerns just twenty minutes before at lunch. Harry had been so overcome with worry that he nearly accompanied Hermione to talk to Willow.

Willow continued on her way to the classroom, but paused when she saw the group of students walking inside, chattering happily. Suddenly, she didn't want to go to class. Pulling out the single page with her translation across it, she marched into the classroom and, in the chaos of the class being settled down to order, she slipped her paper on the desk and left the room unnoticed. She moved through the quiet school, glad she wasn't running into someone who knew she was supposed to be in class.

She found herself in front of her Introduction to Magic classroom and paused, her hand reaching for the knob. She knew that the last person she should be talking to was Percy Weasley, but he was easily the best adult to speak with. She couldn't go to anyone else and she knew her friends just wouldn't understand what Willow did. Without hesitation, she pushed the door open. Percy was sitting at his desk, grading papers when Willow walked in. He was about to tell her off when he saw the look on her face. She was clearly distressed about something.

"You once told me that I could go to you if I needed anything," she said before he could say anything. "I need help… I don't know if I can hold in what I know anymore without blowing up. I need someone to talk to."

He nodded slowly without taking his eyes off of her face. "Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair sitting next to his desk. "Are you certain you don't want to talk to one of your friends? I happen to know you have a good group of them."

"They wouldn't understand if I did," she said tightly, staring at the floor apprehensively. She decided to burst into the story before she lost her courage completely. "Someone I know is in a lot of trouble."

"Would it be anyone I am familiar with?" Percy asked her.

She nodded slowly. "She was a Hogwarts student," she replied, carefully choosing her next few words. "She thinks that she may be pregnant."

Percy arched an eyebrow and nodded, silently urging her to continue.

"I'm not sure how much more to tell," Willow admitted. "I think I've already said too much. She's worried because of her reputation and it's something that is very important to her. She's scared more than anything, but I'm not really sure if she's telling the truth. Where I come from, strange things happen to good people and although many think she's worthless, I consider her a strong lady."

"What it sounds like she needs is support," Percy said, watching Willow's expression. "You're a good friend, Willow, looking out for people like that."

She gave him a half-smile, wondering whether or not she should tell him what she knew about him. "Thank you," she finally said after a long, awkward pause. Glancing down, she folded her arms. "There's something else, too."

"Oh?" Percy asked, giving her a concerned look.

"After this girl left my room last night, I called my friend in California. It was early evening back there, eight hours back. They're having a problem with this former friend who was in a coma and is now causing some pretty bad things to happen. She's hurt people I care about a lot and I don't…" She paused, trying to figure out how to tell her Professor about Faith's latest antics. "She tried to kill my best friend."

"Willow," Percy said, his eyebrows snapping down in concern as he reached out a hand to pat hers, but she quickly withdrew it.

"I'm so far away," Willow said, shrugging her shoulders as she struggled to process her own emotions. "I can't do anything from here and she… she tried to kill Buffy. They're worried that she'll try to take revenge on the one person she hasn't personally hurt yet, which would be me. She hasn't found me yet, but she'll know I'm in England soon."

"These walls are well protected by magic, Willow," Percy said quietly. "She would have quite a chore getting inside this school."

"That's the thing," Willow said with a sigh. "She has these super powers that allow her to see things like magic. I'm pretty sure that if she wanted a way in here, she would find one. My friends are trying to convince me my life is in danger and the only thing I can do is keep my mouth shut. If Faith ever found out about Harry or Keira, God only knows what she could do to them!"

"And my brother," Percy said, leaning back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "I understand your dilemma. You are having a hell of a time with a friend of yours and now someone you consider an enemy will make an attempt on your life."

"I'm just supposed to smile and bear it!" Willow exclaimed angrily. "How can they ask me to stand back and do nothing? This is my best friend who almost died because of Faith! She tried to kill Xander and now she's coming after me… and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. So here I am, skipping the first class I have ever cut in my entire life and throwing all of my worries into your lap!"

"There are certain protections that we can place around the school to protect you, Willow," Percy finally said. "But you should tell your friends about this threat. They need to know in case something does happen and if does not, they will at least know how close they came to certain danger."

"You're right," Willow said, dropping her head onto her arms. "It's just that she completely…" But Willow wasn't able to say what Faith was entirely, because she sighed again. "I should probably go. Class will be getting out soon and I think it's high time I start telling the truth around here." Hermione may already know the truth about Faith, but the others had to know. Hermione wouldn't betray her confidence.

"I just want to know one thing," Percy said, reaching for his stack of papers. "Why come to me?"

"You're the one person I know who takes the rules as seriously as I do," Willow admitted. "I knew you wouldn't judge me because I see you as the male version of me. I don't judge quickly and even if you did some terrible things, you wouldn't be about to make the same mistakes again."

Percy dropped his quill, looking suddenly irate. "So you've heard."

Willow nodded. She wasn't about to deny anything now.

"I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone tattled on my past behaviors," he said darkly.

"Professor, it doesn't change anything," Willow said calmly. "You're still my Professor and you're still teaching me a great deal about how to use a wand."

"Which you still don't need, by the way," he reminded her.

"The point is, you're still my teacher. You're still the one that gives me the final grades. It doesn't matter what I know or what I don't," Willow said. Percy appeared to be relieved as she stood up. "Thank you for listening to me."

"I'm not just your teacher, Willow," he said in a quiet tone. "I'm also your house advisor. I am always available if you need someone to talk to."

"I know," she said, and with a last smile she departed from the room. There were students milling about now and she hitched her heavy bag onto her shoulder and made her way towards the Scioccio arena. The first thing she was going to do was make amends with Keira.

But she was sidetracked by the sudden appearance of Pansy Parkinson. She was sitting at the base of the wall, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. She appeared to be sobbing uncontrollably into them.

"Pansy?" Willow asked gently.

The girl looked up. She didn't look so evil now. She looked vulnerable and scared, petrified for her life. "They're not human, are they?" she asked in a whimper of a voice.

"We don't know that," Willow said, bending down and gently helping the distraught girl to her feet. "We won't know until you get tested."

"Are you saying that you want me to tell someone else about this?" Pansy asked, a slight edge of panic in her voice. "I can't do that!"

"You have to," Willow said, taking the other woman's arm. "As soon as you know, you'll feel better."

After a long moment, Pansy nodded. "Where do I go?"

"This way," Willow said, and she led the girl down the hallway towards the Infirmary.

The house physician was an older woman who glanced curiously at them over her oval spectacles when they entered. "Why, hello there," she said in a friendly tone of voice, getting to her feet and shuffling forward.

"Hi," Willow said, throwing the woman a bright, cheerful smile.

"What can I do for you ladies?" the doctor asked, coming to a rest in front of them.

"I would like you to give my friend here," Willow began, as Pansy blinked up at her in confusion, "a full scan."

"A full scan?" the woman asked, turning to look at Pansy, her eyes widening behind her glasses, making them look twice as large. "Is this what you want?"

Pansy still couldn't speak. She brushed the remains of the tears from her eyes and forced herself to nod twice. The doctor looked astonished before turning to Willow. "You are a sweetheart, child, to bring your friend in here. What sort of scan are you looking for?"

Willow opened her mouth to answer, but Pansy somehow found her courage and held out her hand. "I'm… expecting," she said, giving the doctor a tremulous smile.

The doctor looked stunned as she turned to look at Willow, who shrugged. "Well, then, child… you have come to the right place."

"How did you find out?" Willow asked Pansy quietly as she ushered her into one of the four private rooms.

"Home test," Pansy replied, taking her wand from her robes and pointing it to her abdomen. "See?"

She whispered a few words and suddenly there was a small blue bubble, almost like a soap bubble. Inside the bubble was a growing mass.

"Wow," Willow said, watching as the bubble faded away. "That's… accurate."

"You don't have to be such a smartass about it," Pansy snapped, reverberating back into her normal self. "The second I saw that, I freaked out. I came to you. I know that my friends wouldn't have a clue what to do."

"But I do?" Willow asked as the doctor appeared, snapping on a pair of rubber gloves. Pansy's eyes widened in horror.

"We're going to do this the old-fashioned way," the doctor said in a sweet voice, coming forward.

"I'll be outside if you need me," Willow said, letting go of Pansy's hand and moving out of the room.

"Wait!" Pansy cried indignantly. "Don't you dare leave me… what the hell are you doing? What in the hell do you think you're doing? Ow! Owwwww!"

Willow hid her smirk as she listened to Pansy howl as she was examined. Well, she could act like a brat all she wanted. It wasn't going to change the fact that she had something growing inside of her, human or not. But, as she listened to Pansy howl in the cubicle down the hall, she sighed, leaning against the staunch white walls. It was going to be a long afternoon.

x-o-x

Padma was waiting for Willow when she appeared in front of the cafeteria. Willow was quite hungry since she'd skipped lunch to avoid her friends. Even now she could see Harry, Ron and Hermione at their usual table, chattering about the day's events. They looked so happy and safe inside, tucked away from the darkness that seemed to surround them. They had no idea what was happening or what was going to happen. They were just… people.

"You got another note," Padma said, waving her hand in front of Willow's face and handing her an envelope. "It arrived right before lunch. I was going to give it to you then, but…"

Willow took it and thanked her. Both women walked into the Great Hall and took their respective tables. However, the instant she sat down, the first words out of Neville's mouth were, "Have you seen Keira?"

"Uh, no," Willow said, tucking the note inside her bag. She wasn't going to read it in front of a table full of curious university students. "I haven't seen her since last night, in fact."

"Neither have we," Hermione said, chewing on her lower lip as she turned to Ron. "I don't remember seeing her in Potions this morning, either."

Willow could have kicked herself. She'd purposely missed Potions, deciding to stay in her room. Padma had accepted her excuse of a stomachache and had let her be, but she knew that Padma would soon get suspicious. She had skipped lunch to avoid the exact social situation she was in now. The only difference was, Keira Isley had been missing since the night before.

"Remain here," Aura said, getting up from the other side of Hermione, tucked in next to Seamus Finnigan. She walked quickly over to the table where Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy were holding court and began to talk to them.

"I don't know why she's asking them for," Parvati said, running a hand through her dark hair as she glowered at the table. "They only care about themselves. They would be the ones to kidnap Keira. They despise her."

Willow frowned as she studied Draco's face. Although his face was alight with malice and his eyes were full of dislike, she saw nothing in his face to indicate that he would be capable of hiding a student away. Harry frowned and followed Willow's eye line to see Draco shaking his head and talking to Aura while the others appeared to be concerned. He dropped his gaze and noticed that she still hadn't put anything on her plate. She appeared far too concerned with Keira than to take care of herself. He took initiative, spooning a bit of casserole on the plate before nudging her shoulder. "You might as well eat before you starve to death."

"Harry's right," Ron said, swallowing a mouthful of rosemary potatoes. "We'll look for her after dinner."

"She doesn't have a roommate to confide in if she had to go someplace in an emergency," Willow said, more to herself than to the table at large. "She only had us."

"She told me last night she wasn't feeling too well," Neville said, speaking up. "I walked her back from Practical Potions and she… she didn't say anything!"

Willow turned to her plate and picked up her fork, but set it down again. "She could have been kidnapped or… or…"

"Hey," Harry said, giving her shoulder a shake. "We'll go to our Head of House as soon as we're done here, okay? But the only way we're going to do anything is if you eat!"

Willow reluctantly picked up her fork. Sometimes, these friends of hers annoyed her. But, at other times, they were as reliable as Old Reliable.

"Here's what we'll do," Hermione said, leaning over the table towards Willow. As always, Hermione's head remained cool under pressure. "Harry, Ron and I will examine the grounds. That includes the Quidditch pitch, the Sciocco field, the beach, the woods, and the pond. Parvati, could you organize a search party of the houses? We need to keep this quiet or else we'll cause a panic. A student doesn't just disappear. She has to be forced to disappear around here." Parvati nodded and turned to Lavender, who also nodded.

"We're with you, Hermione," Lavender said, setting down her water goblet.

"Willow, you and Aura should search the school," Hermione continued, turning to look at Willow, who was eating her casserole as quickly as possible without appearing to be bovine. "Comb through the classrooms, the hallways, the supply closets, the library and the usual hangouts." Her face tightened as she turned to Neville. His once-round face was taut with anxiety and appeared to have drained of all color. "Maybe it'd be best if you waited in your room, Neville. Or maybe you can join Parvati's team."

A team, Willow thought with a fond smile. They were really a team now, sent out to find one of their own, a missing link to their proverbial gang. Willow had never been so thankful to have Hermione as a friend as she did right now.

"Do you mind?" Neville asked, turning to look down the table at Parvati, who shook her head, her eyes round and full of sympathy.

"It's settled," Hermione said firmly, turning to look back at Willow, who had just stuffed half of a white roll into her mouth. "Maybe you should contact Percy. He can tell the other Heads of Houses so that not everyone knows."

"Are you sure it's wise to contact him?" Ron asked, a disgusted look on his face.

"Yes, it is," Willow said firmly, the tone in her voice taking Ron by surprise. "I'll contact your brother as soon as…" She gave an almighty swallow and reached for her goblet just as Harry poured ice water into it.

"We'll find her, Willow," Hermione said, her brown eyes comforting as she glanced at the redheaded girl across from her. "I promise, we will."

Neville gave a rather apprehensive squeak. Harry had told her a bit about what Neville had been like before his role into the downfall of the Dark Lord had come to pass. He had changed so much in one year, she thought, watching as he turned nervous eyes back to his plate before pushing it away. He had lost so much. He had been through so much.

In a way, they all had. That was why this place had been created, she thought, draining her water glass and turning back to her meal. She noticed that there was something lumpy and chocolatey on her place and turned a suspicious eye towards Harry, who quickly mumbled that she still had to eat as she had skipped lunch.

For some odd reason, the thought of a rescue mission brought back the good old days.

Little did she know that in just one day, she would be wishing for the Mayor and his threatening apocalypse to appear.

x-o-x

"Keira!" Willow shouted, rushing down the corridor. It seemed almost too dark, almost a cliché. "Keira, where are you?"

This was all her fault. If she hadn't been caught up with the realization that Faith was on her way to England or Pansy's predicament, she would have been a better friend. She wouldn't have abandoned her closest friend. Willow could have kicked herself many, many times that day. She knew the pure-Dragon-bloods weren't capable of kidnapping, even if it was Keira Isley, a girl many of them despised to the point of cold, concealed hatred.

After contacting Percy, she and Aura had returned to the school. Aura had decided to search the lower-level classrooms, the library and the other hangouts. Willow took to the tower-level classrooms and the Astronomy Tower. Her footsteps echoed eerily down the corridor as she approached the staircase leading to the top level. Frowning, she realized she was running out of places to search. All she had left were the few classrooms on the uppermost floor and they remained unused. So far, she hadn't seen Keira anywhere. Harry and the others hadn't come looking for her to report that they'd found her, either.

There was a sudden sound ahead of her near the stairways. It sounded like a cross between a cough and a sob.

"Hello?" Willow asked, her shoes echoing eerily on the marble floor. "Is someone there?"

She heard it again. Someone was definitely there.

Before she could reach the stairway, a figure stepped from behind it and into the little light there was. Quickly plunging her hand into her pocket, she pulled out her wand. "Lumos," she muttered, and a shadow of a blue light suddenly filled the hallway.

It exposed something that chilled her blood to the core.

It was a figure holding Keira in front of her.

"Faith," Willow said quietly.

"That's right," Faith said, giving the bound and gagged Keira a little push, sending her sprawling onto the floor. "Good to see you, too, Red."

Keira muttered something behind her gag. Faith turned dark eyes onto her and smirked. "What was that, Raven? Didn't hear you."

"Faith, what are you doing here?" Willow deadpanned.

"Funny you should ask," Faith said with an innocent smile that didn't fool her. "See, when I woke up and found out that Sunnydale High had been blown up, I realized your little band of super freaks had saved the day and my boss was dead. I asked myself 'where do I go from here?'. It's a simple answer, really."

She sprang suddenly, her fist colliding with Willow's wrist as her wand went sailing through the air, throwing them all into darkness. Willow could hear Keira whimpering on the floor next to her feet.

"Get out," Willow said angrily.

"When we can have so much fun, precious?" Faith asked, smirking.

Willow felt her anger growing. "I know what you did to Buffy," Willow said, swallowing hard. "I know what you're capable of."

"Then you'll know I won't hesitate to kill all of your new little friends, starting with Raven here," Faith said, cheerfully nudging Keira with the tip of her boot.

Willow pressed her hands forward and a blinding white light suddenly filled the corridor.

"Leave them alone," Willow said, pleading now. "Take me, but leave the others alone."

"Why would I want to do that?" Faith asked innocently, neatly stepping on top of a murmuring Keira as she advanced on Willow. "I sent the note foreseeing my own arrival. Buffy's in the hospital and can't do a damned thing about it. You're alone, just like me and when I crush the life from those pathetic eyes, you're going to see that I'm the one you should have feared all along."

Willow realized suddenly that she had left the note Padma had given her before dinner in her bag, which was back in their room, safe and sound. This had to be what Faith was talking about.

Willow felt the cold fury. She knew she could use her magic on Faith, but she wasn't willing to just yet. "Fine, kill me, crush me, do whatever you have to do," Willow said, enjoying the surprised look on Faith's face as she taunted her. "When Buffy finds you, she's going to rip you end from end."

"That may be so," Faith said with a careless shrug. "But she'll have already lost _you_."

Willow drew her hands back and the light began to fade. "Just get it over with."

"Whatever you say, beautiful," Faith said, drawing a sharp curved knife as she grinned surreptitiously at the redhead before her.

But it was a different voice that answered her. It was male and commanding. "Stupefy!"

Faith looked stunned as the blast from the wand threw her from her feet and sent her into the wall, where she fell into a heap of leather and dark hair.

Willow turned around just as a figure came towards her. Two more were behind him. "Harry!"

"Grab Keira and go," Harry shouted, turning to Ron and Hermione, who immediately sprang forward to help Keira get to her feet. Spying Willow's wand, he plucked it from the ground and handed it over to her. "Are you all right?"

"Harry, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you," Willow said, her voice taking on a slight tone of panic. "She's going to… she'll…"

"Let's get out of here," Harry said, watching as Keira was led off in the distance. "When she wakes up…"

"Oh, God," Willow said, as she and Harry took to running off after the trio ahead.

Behind them, she could hear Faith's maniacal laughter. "This isn't over!" she shouted. "You're a dead witch, Red! Did you hear me? This isn't over!"

To be continued…

x-o-x

Chapter 16 – the first part of a two part series featuring the Scoobies, Faith, and the disaster that always lingers behind. Willow comes face-to-face with Oz for the first time and begins to realize he isn't nearly as over her as she thought. Keira comes to terms with what nearly happened to her. Buffy gets a rude awakening! Faith turns to madness! And, above it all… a traitor may be in their midst.

It has been over two months since I last posted this story. This is my way of making it up to you. I will post the two-part in its entirety once I return from vacation. It'll be a bit on the action-packed side and it'll definitely show a bit of drama. Couples will be tested, bonds will be broken and a psychotic will have the last laugh… for once. I'm pondering an actual supplement (for the parts rated higher than R, obviously) to accompany it… but… I'm not sure. The last line from this previous chapter was a line used by Glory. Oh, and since this is a two-year school, there might be a sequel in the works. We're working up to the grand finale here as the "traitor" comes out, and a lot of storylines start to wrap up. Twenty five chapters, right? Should be a piece of cake… and a lot of angst, drama and those lovely butterflies are yet to come.

Here are the reviewer's comments:

**Chrios**: You're a Devils fan? I was totally for the Maple Leaf's until I realized that rooting for Canadian hockey would get my ass kicked from here to Sweden if I didn't "worship" the Wild (or the Stars). Do you have college hockey over there? They are _so_ serious about it here, it's hilarious. My alma mater had two teams, one man's and one woman's, not to mention their intercollegiate intramural teams, that one I played for. College hockey is the _only_ thing keeping me from breaking my satellite dish for not allowing NHL Center Ice. I'm getting my post-college kicks though trying to teach a group of rather talented seven- and eight-year-olds… it's always fun. I can never resist lacing up though, and my lucky stick has gotten me through many a battle. (is someone that can talk about hockey ALL day and night). Oh, right, story. Thank you for your review. I'm already blonde and it would've been a GREAT blonde moment to completely leave Keira's date out of the picture, hmm? Oh, and last note… published? Me? Did I say that?

**Laura:** Actually, Faith is the reason they come in the first place. First, you need the supernatural demon thingies that keep happening. Next, you need a half-psycho Slayer that wakes up from her coma and decides that Willow hasn't had enough pain and misery yet. Lastly, you add in the other Slayer and the other players and you have one great big party… not. I hope they'll be around long enough for your liking!

**Charity:** Oh, bless your heart! I think I need to give you a big hug, too. The past few days have been rather difficult, and I must say that things are holding together quite well. Of course, I just locked myself inside my aunt's house to get away from all of the company… and sit up all night staring at the television set. I haven't been able to sleep very much, but that's something better discussed outside a chapter and review, uh huh.

**Damia**** – Queen of the Gypsies: **Actually, if you subtract Anya (for now), you do have a well-rounded visit. Anya will come into the story a little bit later, but not now. There is a reason for that, and it is a reason you will soon see, hopefully.

**Lightdemondarkangel** The news was displayed in this chapter. It's still pre-Adam, sort of, but if you do follow a little bit of canon, I've added a nice little bit about Faith's escape. And Faith, deciding that she really wanted payback on the only Scooby she hasn't tried to hurt yet decides to go after Willow. This is in part the reason why the old gang heads off to England as Faith vows to make Willow pay for her "hatred". I included that bit about Percy because despite the fact I love the geekier characters in the whole J.K. realm, I decided for once to play him out as a bad guy. It would be nice to see him redeemed, yet… I don't know. Thank you for your review!

**Dawn of the new world: **What happens next is that Buffy marries Bob Dole and raises penguins in Guam. Yes, that was sarcasm. Um, actually, Willow gets a blast from the past and her new friends have to deal with what's to come. Pansy's in a right state after realizing she may be impregnated with demon spawn and lastly Harry comes to realize that his girlfriend is "not that innocent". Ta-da. In a nutshell.

**Shelby**: I know it's been a month, so, yeah. Here is the update. The Scoobies will be present in the next chapter!

**Liz: **Funny you should mention those two… actually, the next chapter should explain it all. I felt like I owed a bit of that pairing… here's to making it actually happen.


	16. Down Once More

_Author's Note_: Here we are again… about seven months after I stopped updating this. Real life has been a pain in the rear end, literally. I have a new job, new life, new home, new friends and a new reality check – I don't have the time I used to. I don't write as much as I would like to. I wish I could just sit at home and write away, but unfortunately that's not written in the stars, per say. I know I promised a double update. I just can't make due on that promise right now… so you'll get it single-by-single until I can get over the wretched writer's block and get my butt moving again. To those of you, who haven't given up on this story, thank you.

_Author's Note the 2nd: _Blah. After reading and re-reading this entire story, I've decided that I'll be _slowly_ rewriting the first many chapters up to my current standards. I could have done so much better than those lame lines and conversations and crap. Thus, I will be spending as much time updating this story as I will with rewrites. I have to… I can't cringe whenever I read my own stuff now. There're discrepancies just about everywhere and it is making me crazy to sit and read through.

_Author's Note the 3rd: _After seeing 'The Goblet of Fire' at both IMAX and the regular theatre, I'm thinking that even though the book was butchered into millions of tiny pieces, it is still one of the best movies I have seen lately. The actor who played Krum actually looks like my cousin. I saw it a second time because my mind was so wrapped around the fact I was seeing it the first time that I missed stuff. Overall, the book was obviously better _but _the movie had some neat and ironic foreshadowing. And Dumbledore was basically ruined in my movie image… but maybe that's just me.

_Author's Note the last: _I never can thank her enough… much love and gratitude to my action-beta Gracie Lou. Without her constant nagging, this chapter never would have been completed. And now…

x-o-x

**Chapter 16**

**Down Once More**

x-o-x

There seemed to be a quiet chill that filled the large tower as Aura closed the door behind her. Everyone she knew to be friend had gathered in Keira's room. The girl was currently sitting on her mattress, wrapped in a thick blanket, her eyes cast downwards. Willow and Harry sat across from her on the rooms only other bit of furniture, a crudely-cut wooden bench. Hermione, meanwhile, had used to her wand to whip up a set of chairs and she, Ron and now Aura took. There were a few others present, namely Neville, who had refused to leave Keira's side. Parvati and Lavender were also there, along with Parvati's twin and Willow's roommate Padma. Before Harry could speak, however, the door opened and Seamus stuck his head in.

"Are we too late?" he asked the room at large.

"There's always room for another," Ron said, waving him inside. Seamus held the door open for Dean, who followed him in before sealing the door behind them. They quickly walked over and sat on the floor, looking concerned.

"What is this all about?" Dean asked curiously, glancing from Willow to Keira. Normally when one was asked into Keira's room, it usually meant that either the world was about to be destroyed or that the so-called Dragon Cult had done something foolish that would warrant a serious prank. However, they didn't see any signs that a prank was in order. In fact, when they saw that Keira appeared pale and trembling, Seamus frowned deeply. Keira Isley was made of some pretty strong stuff. To see her revert into a frightened mess was somewhat startling. Willow, too, was pale and from what he heard, she had some unforeseen magical skills which included wand-less magic. No one he knew had that kind of skill.

"There's a killer loose on campus," Hermione said crisply. "She took Keira this morning and she came after Willow about an hour ago. We managed to stun her and left her at the stairs in the main hall. When we told the faculty what had happened, they didn't want to do anything. By the time they finally got there, she was gone."

Willow lifted her hand to rub the bridge of her nose, suddenly feeling exhausted. "This is all my fault," she moaned. "Faith would never have come here if I wasn't here." She turned to Keira, who had yet to look at her. But she couldn't find it within herself to apologize for Faith's actions.

"She's a deranged psychopath," Hermione said in a comforting voice. "You had no idea what she was going to do. All you knew was that there was a threat she'd come."

"She did come," Willow said. "And I know that I've said she's hurt the people I care about before, but she threatened to kill me, too."

"Before tonight?" Ron asked, his brow furrowing.

Willow nodded.

"What we need is to figure out what we can do to protect you," Hermione said in a low, worried voice.

"Actually, I'm more concerned about what she might do to you," Willow admitted hastily. "She's more apt to come after the people I care about… that's the way she works. She tried to kill Buffy. She tried to kill Xander. All she really did was wave a knife and make idle threats. I could have used magic to kick her ass in about a quarter of a second, but… I didn't. Now she's awake, kicking asses back in Sunnydale while I think I'm over here, nice and safe and sound from a lunatic."

"But you're not, are you?" Harry asked her, touching her arm. She shook her head.

"What happened to you?" Dean asked, turning to look at Keira.

"She doesn't want to talk about it," Neville said in a defensive tone, throwing Dean a scathing look. "Hasn't she been through enough tonight?"

"We wouldn't know," Seamus said in his accented voice, his eyes narrowing. "Has she been through a lot tonight?"

"She doesn't—" Neville began, but Keira lifted her head at last. When Seamus saw her eyes, he blinked. They were round, dark pools set in a gaunt face. She looked more like a blinking, talking corpse than anything at that moment, her gaze was so haunted.

"Do you want to know what she did to me?" Keira asked, her trembling voice slowly gaining strength. "I'll show you what she did to me…"

"Keira, no," Willow said, her protests falling away as Keira pushed aside the blanket and held up her arm. On her forearm was a twisted black symbol that had been burned into her skin.

"Merlin," Dean said, his eyes wide as he glanced at the mark. Even Aura stepped forward, taking Keira's arm to better gaze at the tattoo. "What is that?"

Keira turned her sharp eyes over to Willow, who swallowed hard. "It's… err…"

"Cigarettes," Keira said angrily. "She burned me over and over and over… and let me tell you, it didn't feel very pleasant."

"That bitch," Aura said quietly under her breath.

"You're telling me," Keira said furiously as Neville gently set the blanket back over her shoulders. She turned her eyes over to Willow. She knew she shouldn't take out her anger on her closest friend, but Willow should have said something about old deranged friends that absolutely loved torture. The fact that Willow had held her silence was proof enough that Keira wasn't one of the people on Willow's priority list. She felt her eyes narrow further as she saw the look on Harry's face. Had he known about Faith? "And that was only the beginning…" she said, as though prompting Willow to display her guilt.

But the redhead didn't budge. Her eyes shifted guiltily away, but she didn't do much of anything except sigh.

"What else did she do to you?" Parvati asked in a whisper.

"She likes knives," Willow said in a tight, barely-controlled voice.

"Yeah," Keira snapped sarcastically. "You think?"

Willow closed her eyes. "Keira…"

"Don't," Keira said, her voice losing most of its strength. "I just… please… don't."

"What can we do if she comes back?" Dean asked, turning to Hermione as he usually did in a tough situation. Hermione noticed that most of the people in the room were looking at her before she at last turned to Willow.

"Do we have a chance in hell of catching and detaining her?"

"With magic, yeah," Willow said, nodding slowly. "We just have to be a bit, well, clever. She's a smart girl. If she figures she's got people onto her… well, there's no telling what'll happen." She didn't feel like mentioning the fact that the last time Faith had been detained it had nearly killed the poor Slayer.

"Do you think she'll kill?" Hermione asked.

Willow looked her in the eye. "Yes, I do," she murmured.

"And we're all targets?" Hermione intoned.

Willow nodded. "Every single one of you are…" she said, turning to look at Keira, but the other girl wouldn't look at her again. "Including you."

"Is there any chance in hell that she'll be apprehended by Muggle authorities?" Lavender asked hopefully.

"No," Willow replied, before a small smile broke out across her face. "But there are others from Sunnydale who'll come. I sent them an owl the second we left Percy's office."

"Let's wait until morning to see what we'll decide," Hermione finally suggested, stretching. "If she attacks one of us again, we'll deal. Until then…" Her words may have been unspoken, but there was a lot of tension suddenly released in the room. Willow hung back, even as Harry waited for her. Neville remained by Keira's side, unwilling to leave her. But Willow wanted to talk to Keira alone.

"I'll meet you downstairs," Harry promised, kissing Willow's cheek as he left the room behind. Neville glanced up, saw the serious expression on Willow's face, and told Keira he would be back in the morning. And then he, too, was gone.

Keira didn't seem to notice Willow for the longest time.

"I don't know why you didn't tell me," she said at last, her tone very bitter. "I just figured you'd forgotten."

"Keira, you're one of my closest friends," Willow said quietly. "I never ever though that Faith would come after you first."

"Well, apparently, she has a track record for hurting your friends," Keira said, her voice muffled as she was facing the opposite direction.

"She'll probably go after Harry next," Willow said, sitting down on the bed next to her friend. "Keira, I should have told you. I'm sorry that I didn't."

"I want her to pay for what she put me through," Keira said, turning to look at Willow. There were angry tears streaking down her pale cheeks, making her look slightly deranged and dangerous. "I know that if Neville were a great Wizard, he'd do it for me. I guess I'll just have to trust that you will."

"I have to find her," Willow said firmly. "She hurt you. And I've had enough of watching her hurt mine."

"Please do," Keira said, sighing heavily. "If you don't… well, I suppose I'll live. But I'll rest better knowing she's gone."

"You and me both," Willow said, and rose to leave her friend alone. Keira stood up behind her, magically sealing the door before sinking back onto her mattress, suddenly feeling very isolated. And alone.

x-o-x

The weekend grew steadily closer and with it, the newest Quidditch matches. Willow was startled to see that both Harry's team and Draco's team would be playing one another in the early game on Saturday. By Friday evening, everyone was gathered in Keira's room again. Hermione had come up with a game plan and as she explained it to the entire group, they only had one shot at this. They had to take action now against Faith before she hurt anyone else.

Willow had actually pulled Harry aside and had told him everything. She told him that Faith threatened to kill her once with a wicked looking knife. She told him that Faith had tried to kill her best friend, Buffy Summers. She even told Harry that Faith had gone over the deep end because she had accidentally killed the Deputy Mayor the year before. Buffy had gotten the upper hand on their final fight and Faith had been slammed into a coma – literally.

Harry, of course, hadn't been fooled in the least.

"If you keep telling me I have nothing to worry about, why are you so worried for?" he asked her as they walked to Potions that Friday morning. Willow had been pretty quiet all week, but now it was starting to irritate her the way people kept talking about Faith. It was almost an obsession on their part. Willow was beginning to regret even bringing her up.

But the one good thing about this week is the note that had appeared late Wednesday. It was from Xander and the message was clear: they were on their way. Willow grinned with satisfaction knowing how pissed off her best friend was and how good it would feel to have Buffy back. She had gone directly to the Administration in order to secure their passage onto campus. She had no idea when they'd show up, but she hoped it would be soon. An owl had appeared near midnight on Thursday evening from Xander again, letting her know that they were in the country. On top of worrying about Faith, her classes and her friends on Friday, she also had to worry about Xander and whether or not her Sunnydale friends were going to be able to find this school.

On top of worrying about Faith, her friends and her classes, her stress level through the roof. Adding to it was Pansy's condition. If she put all of her problems in a hat and drew just one, well… it would still be a problem.

Keira and Neville were inside already with Ron and Hermione. This was one part of Hermione's master plan, and since she seemed to be so good at them, it involved no one walking around alone. Although Neville was hardly the greatest Wizard, having Ron and a Witch as powerful as Hermione Granger was always beneficial. Besides, a startling change seemed to overcome young Neville Longbottom. There was hardly a smile on his face and his eyes were always full of concern as he walked side-by-side with Keira. At least they had something else to worry about other than the growing friendship between them.

"There's nothing," Hermione informed them both. "I checked the security logs from last night… if someone sneezed, it was marked down."

"Who runs overnight security?" Willow asked as she sat down in her usual chair and placed her bag on the floor.

"Professor Crieux," Ron replied. "He seems pretty trustworthy."

"He's teaching us all to poison each other," Keira said dryly. "There has to be a certain amount of trust to all that."

"Uh huh," Willow replied, but her attention was taken by a small group that had just entered the classroom. Amongst them was Pansy Parkinson and with her was the tall brute that seemed to be lingering near her side even more as of late. She switched her gaze and saw Draco and his usual gang taking their row of seats, laughing about something or other. She half-wondered if Draco knew what was going on with his ex.

By the time she tuned back into their conversation, she heard the boys discussing Quidditch. She rolled her eyes and turned to Keira, who was flipping a quill over distractedly in her hands. "You okay?"

"I've been better," Keira sighed.

"Don't let this get to you," Willow said comfortingly. "It's what she wants."

"I'm trying to be strong, but I'm so out of my league," Keira moaned. "I'm just glad I'm not alone in all this."

"You're not," Willow said firmly. "We're all behind you."

"To the end," Hermione chirped from the row behind them, leaning over the backs of their chairs. "You're not going to go at this alone, Keir."

"Thanks," Keira said with a hasty smile. But Willow wasn't fooled by Keira's brave smile. She only wished she had more nerve to say something.

Class passed relatively quickly. By the time students spilled out into the cool November light, many were talking of skiving off their afternoon classes. Tomorrow's Quidditch match was going to be one of the toughest yet. But Willow was unwilling to miss Introductory Magic and the others decided, grudgingly, to go to Practical Defense.

"Next time, we're switching," Keira groaned as she was dragged off by Ron and Hermione, leaving Willow standing alone in the corridor with Harry.

"You can go," she said sweetly, knowing that it was a long run to make it to Professor Gabon's class on time. "I don't want to make you late."

"No," Harry said sternly. "I'm not leaving you around with that psychopathic loony."

"The only loon around here is you, Potter," came Pansy's bored, sleepy tone. "Now bugger off. If you're so worried about your precious Red here, I'll get her to class safely."

"I don't think so," Harry retorted. "I don't…"

"Oh come on," Pansy said, smirking, "do you really think anyone's gonna mess with me?"

Of that, he had no doubt. "I'll see you at lunch," he said, glowering at Pansy's triumphant face before skulking off.

"You insulted him," Willow said as Pansy took her arm and pulled her along.

"He'll get over it."

"I thought you had Practical Defense," Willow said.

"I'm pregnant," Pansy sniffed. "Do you really think it's healthy for a woman of my condition to be walking in there and shooting arrows?"

"Archery is fun, though," Willow protested as the two began down another long corridor. "Besides, I'm pretty sure no one but us two chickens knows that you're carrying. Skipping class will do nothing more than get you in trouble."

"Yes, _Granger_," Pansy smirked as she fell into step with the taller girl. "Maybe you should be taking it up with Potter."

"What about Harry?" Willow asked nonchalantly as she clutched her books to her chest.

Pansy stopped swaggering to glance at Willow, surprise showing in her clear, dark eyes. "You don't know?" she guffawed, a simpering laugh sending chills down Willow's spine. "Oh, honestly Rosenberg! You have no sense whatsoever… if you're going to go off on me about skiving off classes, Harry Potter was the master of skiving. You don't know the trouble he and Weasley got into all those years." She tilted her head back, her laughter dissipating as the memory of Hogwarts flashed into her eyes. "It was a simpler time then."

"I imagine it was," Willow replied as they rounded a corner. "Harry doesn't talk much about Hogwarts."

Pansy's pencil-thin eyebrows shot up at Willow's revelation. "And here I thought you two were close."

"I thought so, too," Willow replied quietly. "I mean, I've only known you all for two months."

Pansy stopped in mid-stride, her long fingers reaching over to grasp Willow's arm and pull the taller redhead to a halt. "Even though you're the newcomer, there's a lot more of you," she said in a low, warning tone. "Strength in numbers and all that… whatever's going on, I know it's something serious. Your little group keeps walking around like the ghost of Christmas past is about to jump and spell doom for you all."

"There's a reason for that," Willow said dramatically, dropping her own voice and hauling Pansy into a dark corner across from her Introduction to Magic classroom. "There's a killer on the loose."

"Nothing I haven't heard before…"

"There's a killer on the loose and she's a Slayer," Willow sighed.

Pansy looked astounded. "A Slayer… a real… a real Slayer?"

"Yes, she's real," Willow snapped. "She's also deranged, armed and quite dangerous. She'll kill you if she knew you were talking to me, so I'd really appreciate it if you went away for your safety and for your child's!"

Pansy looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head. "Well, you know me… flair for the drama and all," Pansy said dryly. "I can take care of myself."

"You're not the only person who needs care," Willow replied indignantly.

"These things have a way of taking care of themselves," Pansy irked.

Willow's eyes widened at the implications the other girl had just made. Obviously Pansy thought she hadn't said anything wrong because she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Look," Pansy said, drawing Willow back into the corner. "You missed out on dark times, Wil, dark times. There was active war and people died. When you talk about all of these old times with murderers on the loose and friends in danger, we lived that story. I lost people I loved."

"I had no idea…"

"No," Pansy said, glaring up at the taller girl. "You don't have any idea what you're talking about. My family… I lost my family because of what they believed in. They made the wrong choice. When I refused to become a Death Eater, my own father threatened to have me killed. You have no idea how scared I was or what I was willing to do to protect myself. In the end, I saved myself. I did what I had to do to survive. And I made sure that my _own _were protected, too."

"You don't have just yourself to think about anymore," Willow said urgently. "You're with child, Pansy. You need protection."

"Look, Willow," Pansy said, shaking her head. "You don't get it, do you? I've done some terrible things in my life. I've done even more things that I can't begin to describe, all in the name of power. My father died with the words of Lord _Voldemort_ on his tongue and with a twinkle in his eyes as the Aurors drained the life of him. I'm here today to make sure that doesn't happen to those I care about, including myself."

"I…" Willow began, before words utterly failed her. "I guess I don't know any of you at all."

Pansy scoffed, running a hand through her short, dark hair. "Potter, Weasley, Granger… hell, even Longbottom have been together longer than what you consider 'high school'. They've been put through trials that no living person deserves to be put through. When Voldemort was brought down Potter was considered the chosen one. He was the hero in this story. And all of those friends of his have been at his side since the beginning. You and Isley and Starr are the new girls. You have no idea what fire you're playing with. There are still dark Wizards out there… bad people. They will do everything they can to destroy the one who brought down the Dark Lord. This killer you're talking about… she may be bad for you, but she's a walk in the park for the others."

"Maybe so," Willow replied softly. Her voice trembled as she looked away. "I can't believe I didn't know."

"Maybe when he's ready, he'll tell you about it."

"Tell me about what?" Willow asked, blinking.

"Maybe he'll tell you about the day he killed the Dark Lord."

Willow watched as Pansy stepped out of the corner and disappeared from view. Realizing she was holding her breath, she collapsed against the wall, lost in thought. This was something she never really thought about before. She was a new person trying to get into a crowd that had been together for seven years and then some. There were people who clung together because they had nothing else. They were power incarnate, she realized. She had no idea of Harry's troubled past, but he claimed to want to make new beginnings. How could he make new beginnings with so much anger and hatred towards him? He was a good man… Willow felt this with all of her being. The _only _reason they were even in this predicament was because she and Keira were now a part of this group. Willow was Harry's girlfriend, she realized. She wasn't some dumb girl on his arm hanging out for the sake of a popularity contest. This had real implications that could deal with the rest of their lives. Keira was Willow's closest English friend and she, too, was an outsider. She was also someone in the group because she was dating their weakest member.

After making sure that Pansy had gone around the corridor, Willow raced to her classroom at the other end of the hallway. Sure enough, Percy Weasley had called the class to order and looked concerned when Willow quickly slipped in. "Sorry I'm late," she said with an apologetic smile.

"It's quite all right," he said, gesturing towards her normal seat in the front row. "Have a seat, Willow."

Willow sat and pulled out her materials. Even as Percy droned on about the use of illegal magic, Willow was lost in thought about what Pansy had said. Considering what these people had faced, she realized, Faith was no threat to them. But she was a threat to Willow. She hadn't faced a Dark Lord. She had only faced an evil Slayer, a Mayor-that-turned-into-Snake-guy and a new life at a school for Magic.

x-o-x

Willow and Keira were both in the stands that night as Harry's Quidditch team was taking one last practice flight. Both were wrapped in their warm coats as the cold wind whipped their hair off of their faces, coming from the Atlantic.

"Do you ever have the feeling that something really bad was going to happen?" Willow asked suddenly.

"You get that too?" Keira asked sarcastically.

Willow sighed and glanced down. "I can feel something, Keir… it's bad."

"It can't be much worse than this," Keira admitted, watching as Hermione quickly jogged up the steps to join them.

Remembering her last apocalypse, Willow grimaced. "Don't jinx it," she cautioned. "It can get _way _worse than this."

"Hey, you two," Hermione said, slipping into the seats next to them. Her hands were wrapped around a thick paper cup of cocoa.

"It's so cold out here," Willow murmured, rubbing her chilled hands together.

"Nothing we're not used to," Keira reminded her. "After all, I am from Iceland."

"And I'm from sunny, warm California where it doesn't go below sixty," Willow said, shivering as she wrapped her arms around her coat sleeves. "Brr."

"Our poor little western friend," Keira said, smirking as Hermione patted Willow's shoulder, apparently holding in her own mirth. "We could always start you on fire."

"Funny," Willow sighed as Hermione started giggling.

"Just be sure to wear your mittens in the morning," Hermione said, wiping her streaming eyes and choking slightly as she set her cup aside.

"And galoshes," Keira added. Willow glanced at her as both Keira and Hermione dissolved into giggles.

"I don't think I'll ever get you," she said sadly, shaking her head.

"Not that much to get," Hermione sighed as the three dropped down into their seats. "Blimey, I'm glad it's the weekend."

"Me too," Keira agreed, pressing a hand over her eyesight to protect them from the sudden onslaught of eight very large floodgate lights that now flooded the field as though it were day.

"I just want this to end," Willow muttered under her breath. Hermione glanced at her curiously. "I know that Faith doesn't seem like much of a threat to you," she added hastily.

"Willow?" Keira asked softly. "What are you going on about?"

"After all," Willow blathered without listening to Keira, "you went through horrors that some of us couldn't begin to imagine."

A slight shiver passed over Hermione's face. "You have no idea," she murmured darkly.

"No, we don't," Keira replied, glancing sharply at Willow. "What are you on about now…?"

"After what you faced, a homicidal Slayer is probably no match for the Chosen One," Willow continued, her voice rising. As the Quidditch players came onto the field and began their practice, the three bystanders found themselves distracted.

"Yes, it is," Hermione said slowly.

"Willow…" Keira whispered, her hand subconsciously reaching for her scarred arm.

"You faced a Dark Lord and open war," Willow continued, her voice now rising about the din from the Quidditch practice. Harry slowed to a stop and Ron rode out towards him, their eyes on the stands. There were only a few people present and most were watching the game. What Harry suddenly noticed was the look on Willow's face and Hermione's defensive stance.

"Uh oh," Ron muttered at his elbow.

"Yes, we did," Hermione said in the same slow, patient voice.

"So what is this to you?" Willow asked, reaching her breaking point. "After all you've been through, why worry about Faith?"

"We worry because she's a threat to _you_," Hermione replied defensively. "In case you haven't noticed, you are our friends."

"Willow, stop this," Keira hissed from her opposite end, but Willow shook her off.

"In other words, it's because I'm Harry's girlfriend?"

Harry and Ron exchanged an uncomfortable glance before riding forward. "Intervention," Harry muttered as he rode towards the three women. Hermione looked stunned, Keira had gone pale and Willow was… well, she looked dangerous.

"No," Hermione all but shouted. "It's not because you're _just _his girlfriend. You're a part of this team!"

"How can we be a part of anything when we don't even know the truth?" Willow demanded.

"Oh, crap," Keira whimpered.

"Don't you want to know?" Willow asked, turning on Keira, who seemed to shrink next to the small redhead. Willow was looking mad… very mad.

"Willow, what is this?" Ron asked, arriving at last. He hovered a few feet above them, but he looked stunned nonetheless.

"It's nothing," Willow snapped, shaking her head. "I'm obviously out of my mind or something. Just forget it, okay?"

"What?" Keira asked, looking confused.

"I… I have to go," Willow replied, quickly ducking around Keira and jogging back up the stairs.

Harry flew up next to Ron just in time to see his girlfriend dashing up the stand stairs and out of sight. "What in blazes was that about?"

Keira stood openmouthed next to Hermione, who wore a knowing expression. "Something's wrong," she deduced.

"Is it that obvious?" Keira asked sarcastically. "What _was _that?"

Hermione paused before turning her dark eyes to Harry. "Why didn't you tell her?"

"Why is this suddenly _my _fault?" he asked angrily.

"Because someone said something to her," Hermione insisted. "She didn't say anything like that at breakfast and it is quite obvious this has been bothering her all afternoon. Why didn't you tell her about _Voldemort_?"

Harry suddenly looked uncomfortable as Keira swelled next to Hermione.

"You didn't tell her?" Keira gasped. "Neville told me about it the night of the Masquerade! How could you not tell her that you defeated the most powerful, the most—"

"It doesn't matter," Harry said quickly, turning back to Hermione. "How did she find out?"

"Like it's a secret?" Hermione whispered.

"You are a Chosen idiot!" Keira shrieked as she whipped around and followed Willow's footsteps.

Harry sat on his broomstick as both Ron and Hermione turned to look at him from a different angle. His eyes widened at Ron's dumbfounded expression and Hermione's exasperated glare. "What did I do this time?"

x-o-x

"Willow! Willow, wait up!"

Willow stopped running and turned around just as Keira plowed right into her. Both women tumbled to the earth before getting quickly back to their feet.

"What was that?" she asked again, watching as the redhead averted her eyes as she dusted off her blouse and skirt.

"I don't know what came over me," Willow replied in a low voice. "I guess I must've snapped."

"But why were you accusing Hermione of things?" Keira asked. "She didn't do anything."

"No, you're right," Willow replied sadly. "She didn't do a thing."

"But Harry…"

"Keira, let's face it. We know nothing about this group. We may be dating them, but we don't know them."

"But, I—"

"Keira, just listen," Willow insisted, her face alight with a strange new light. "They faced evil we can't begin to imagine. Well, I can try because I've dealt with a lot… but someone put things into perspective for me. You know all that talk of boldness and cunning and suave maneuvering and everything else they've been teaching us? I just found out that this group has been through it all. Harry took on a Dark Lord… and he killed him."

Keira swallowed before replying, "I know."

"_You know?_"

"Neville told me everything," Keira replied quietly. "He knows he's no great Wizard and he knows that he doesn't have half the power some of the others do, but his heart is in the right place. I know he can't protect me, but it means something that I can protect him. Have you ever considered the reason why Harry hasn't told you anything is because he wants to protect you?"

"Protect me from what?"

"From himself," Keira sighed. "He has a past, Wil. Which of us doesn't? He has things in his past no living person should deal with and he has. He's found himself with these people. He's found himself with you. Maybe he thought you'd overreact if you knew the truth. And you did! Whoever told you…"

"It doesn't matter," Willow mumbled. "Maybe it'll never matter."

"Wil, don't do this," Keira replied as Willow turned away and began marching back to the school in the distance. "Don't shut me out."

"I guess it's something I'm good at," Willow muttered.

Keira ran to catch up with the speedy redhead. "Willow, stop… please?"

"How can you think I'm your friend after I held the truth about Faith back?" Willow asked, and there was a hint of sadness in her voice. As Keira drew closer, she saw that Willow was in tears. "How can you trust me? It's obvious they don't trust me…"

"Willow," Keira whispered as she drew level with the other woman, "don't think for a second they don't trust you. It takes a long while to earn trust. And you know you're more than Harry's girlfriend. Their whole bloody group has been siding with you since that stupid Dragon Cult decided they had it in for us. He'll tell you when he's ready. Don't push him away because he's not ready to face his past. He wants to move on with his life, Wil. He's willing to put it behind him to be with you. He adores you, Wil."

"I know," she sniffed, hugging herself as she turned away again. "Although I really don't know why he can…"

Keira leaned forward and took the other girl into a warm hug. "He was never trying to hide anything from you."

Willow murmured something into her shoulder that Keira didn't understand as the other girl patted her back.

In the distance, a pair of eyes watched the women as they moved on… and waited.

x-o-x

Draco Malfoy was just returning from the top tower where he'd been studying with the rest of his group when he noticed a small group of people wandering around the square. Nudging Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle next to him, he gestured to the four people moving below.

"Visitors?" a clear voice asked next to him.

"Precisely," Draco replied with a malicious glint in his eye, spying Pansy Parkinson standing there with a small stack of books against her side. "Long time, no see."

"I've been busy," she replied flippantly as she eyed the group below. "My, they look lost, don't they?"

They descended the stairs and burst through the front doors into the frigid night air. The people they had been observing from the deck above were now moving towards them. In front of the group was a small blonde woman. Seeing the others, the woman held a hand up and moved towards the others. It took Pansy a moment to realize that the woman wore a sling on her opposite arm and that half of her face was one large bruise. Her left eye was still decorated with a purple bruise and her jaw was slightly swollen. And yet, Pansy thought with amusement, this woman reeked of power.

"Excuse you," Pansy said loftily as she stepped out to face the blonde. Draco and the others in his little group had stopped and were staring at the others as though they had three heads apiece. "Are you looking for someone? School administration office is that way," she replied, jerking her thumb over her shoulder.

"We're not looking for the administration," the blonde said. Pansy's eyes widened. The woman had a very distinct air of dottiness and her accent was remarkably American. She sounded just like Willow. "We're looking for Willow Rosenberg."

"They're looking for _Red_?" a sarcastic voice asked from behind Pansy. The dark-haired girl arched an eyebrow and glanced behind her as Draco brushed past her, looking positively gleeful. "Why are you looking for Little Red?"

"Hey, I'm the only one who gets to call her that," a deep male voice toned as a figure appeared on the other side of the blonde.

"He doesn't look very friendly, does he?" another blonde said, coming up next to the brunet wearing a slight frown.

"No, he really doesn't," the lead blonde said, smirking.

"He looks like a mini-Spike," another male voice replied as the last of the four came to stand on the right side of the blonde. She had tilted her head and was observing Draco through narrowed eyes.

"He's human," she deduced, and the other three released a long breath.

"When is your stupid Watcher getting back?" the other blonde asked in an irritated voice.

"As soon as he figured out where we're supposed to go," the taller male replied, glancing down at the blonde who suddenly clutched his arm and drew behind him.

"So," the first blonde said as the others fell silent. "You know Willow?"

"Of course we know Willow," Pansy replied blithely. "She's made quite a name for herself here."

"At least we got the right place this time," the shorter male quipped from behind her.

The lead blonde pressed her lips together and closed her eyes before continuing. "Perhaps you'd like to tell us where to find her."

Draco was looking at the blonde as their eyes met. What he found startled him. Her eyes were a cool shade of hazel. But they were far different than Willow's eyes, which held compassion and wisdom. He saw raw strength, power and something else. It was beyond determination. It was beyond power. It was something that nearly drew his breath away.

"What happened to your face?" Crabbe gasped from behind him.

Draco leaned over and stomped on Crabbe's toes. His boulder-like sidekick growled and hopped up and down, much to the amusement of the four Americans standing huddled in front of them.

"I'm going to ask this one more time before I start with the dislocating," the lead blonde replied in a very matter-of-fact tone. "Where is Willow?"

"Perhaps you should try the Quidditch pitch," Pansy said, smirking in amusement at the blank looks that fell on the four different faces. They obviously had no idea what Quidditch even was, much less the fact that they were being toyed with. "Willow went down to see her boy play."

"Her… her boy?" the quiet male asked from the other side of the blonde. She turned to elbow him sharply before fixing Pansy with her quick, derisive gaze.

"Obviously you know where to find her."

"I actually do not," Pansy simpered, holding up the books in her arms. "I was in the library catching up on my studies, I'm afraid. I do not have the time to watch little Quidditch practices or play with my little friends as Red so often does."

She heard Draco hiss behind her and decided to ignore him. He couldn't bother her anymore. But when the blonde advanced on her, she shrieked and scampered backwards. Sure enough, Crabbe and Goyle strode forward to block the blonde's progress as Pansy, panting, halted next to Draco.

"Wow… lackeys… how uncharacteristically cliché," the blonde sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Let's… look elsewhere," the tall brunet said quietly, walking over to tug the blonde away from Crabbe and Goyle, who were flexing their muscles and attempting to look threatening. Draco had a feeling that she could take them both out without batting an eye, however.

As the Americans hurried away, Pansy turned to look at Draco. "Next time, let me deal with them," she said coolly. "I don't want heads to roll because the _Slayer _is looking for her friend."

"That was a Slayer?" Draco mused aloud, glancing at the stunning backside of the blonde now moving into the darkness. "I never could have thought… a Slayer? A real Slayer?"

Pansy just snorted before walking away, pushing between Crabbe and Goyle into the dormitories.

x-o-x

Padma glanced up from her Potions text as Willow sighed again. The poor redhead had been sighing all morning. Bright sunlight filtered through their lacey curtains as Padma hovered over her homework, attempting to finish this paper before the Quidditch match less than two hours away now. Willow had her head on her fists as she stared blankly at her "Introductory Magics" textbook, a load of parchment and a quill at her side.

"You should talk to him," Padma hinted as she turned the page.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Willow's voice was uncharacteristically harsh as she reached for her quill.

"The whole house knows that you and Harry had another row," Padma said gently as she dipped her quill into ink again before bringing it back to her parchment.

There was silence and then a snap as the tip to Willow's quill snapped as her frustration gave way. "Does everyone have to gossip around here?" she asked irritably.

"You are the excitement of our lives," Padma replied dryly as she rolled out more parchment to continue her essay.

There was another sigh from Willow's end. "How can you say that?" she asked passionately. "You battled the Dark Lord! You handled Death Eaters! You've looked death in the face and spat on him. I can't believe that you think meddling in the lives of two teenagers is exciting after everything you've been through!"

Padma considered her words a moment before she set her quill down and turned to face her roommate. "Is that what's bothering you?"

"I wish you people would stop asking me that!" Willow cried in exasperation. "I blow up and it's suddenly something's bothering me! Why can't I be a normal person who rants normally?"

"Because you're you, Wil," Padma said slowly. "You're a pretty level-headed person on most days. This Faith deal must have you pretty stressed out."

"It does!" Willow replied. "The thing is, how can you people make such a big deal about it? She's a Slayer, yeah… but she's not even half as bad as what you've faced!"

"I think you're forgetting that only a small select group of people took on the bad guys," Padma murmured. "We didn't all face him wands out. We actually were holed up terrified out of our minds."

Willow slammed her palms on her desk, jumped to her feet and began pacing again. Padma lifted her quill and was about to copy a reference from her desk when a sudden noise startled her. She saw a stack of books on the floor in front of their door where her normally level-headed roommate had just hurled them.

"I _hate _secrets," she hissed.

"I know just how you feel," Padma replied soothingly, setting her quill down again as she stood up to face her roommate. "Willow, sit down before you strain something."

There was a sudden knock on the door. Willow sat on the edge of her bed, crossing her arms.

"I'll answer it then," Padma sighed as she walked over to the door, kicked the stack of books aside and pulled it open. Harry stood on the other side wearing a guilty expression. Giving him a hasty smile, she looked round at Willow before saying, "It's Harry."

Willow gave a dignified snort before she stood up and walked over to the door. "What do you want?"

"What is wrong with you?" Harry asked quietly, politely puzzled at Willow's irate expression. Even her hair had gone wild.

Glancing back at her roommate, Willow quickly edged out the door and pulled it closed behind her. "What's wrong is that sometimes I don't even think I know you!"

"Keira told me what was bothering you."

"Keira _told _you? Oh, my God… can't anyone keep their mouths shut?"

Harry reached out and placed his hands on Willow's shoulders. "Take a deep breath."

"I am not going to breathe right now, Mister!" she hissed. "I think I have a right to know why I'm always the last to know."

"Faith is really upsetting you, isn't she?" Harry asked quietly. "I can't think of any other reason—"

"… of why I'm blowing up?" Willow demanded. "I know I kept Faith from you, but this was a really big thing to keep from me."

"What?"

"_Voldemort!"_ Willow retorted. Harry's eyes widened in realization as Willow stormed around him, stomping down the hall. "The Dark war… the Dark Arts… the Death Eaters… war… facing him… facing death! Harry… if I had known what I was getting involved with…"

"Maybe I was afraid," Harry said, catching up with her and turning her around. "Maybe I was afraid that you wouldn't want to know me."

"This isn't you," she replied coldly. "This is just a mask. I keep hearing about Harry Potter, the chosen one and Harry Potter the hero. I only know you as Harry Potter, a sweet guy who swept me off of my feet. How stupid am I?"

"Willow…"

"I don't know you," she wailed. "Don't you get it? You've been hiding yourself from me. I've given you everything and still you hide. I can't be with someone who's not willing to give themselves completely."

"I… I can't," Harry replied. "It's not that I don't trust you, Wil. I don't want to go back there. I'm not that person anymore."

"And I am?" Willow asked tearfully. "I really like you, Harry. But the guy I like is fake, a phony. You don't exist."

"I'm right here," he said, placing his hand on her tear-stained face. "I'm right here, Willow. I'm not going anywhere."

Willow swallowed painfully as she brushed his hand away. "I don't know you."

"Willow…"

"I… I don't know what to do."

He reached for her, but she pulled back. "I didn't want to hurt you. I was afraid to tell you because I thought you'd leave."

"I figured it was because you thought me an idiot," Willow replied, blinking back bitter tears. "How stupid of me."

"Don't do this," he said soothingly, reaching for her again. But she sidestepped him. "I thought you were different."

"You thought I was different?" she whispered, her eyes widening dangerously. "I thought _you _were different. I loved a werewolf for God's sake… what makes you think I couldn't love a hero? Did you think I wouldn't be able to handle a little blackness? I fought side-by-side with a vampire Slayer."

"I know this," Harry said steadily.

"This isn't about fun and games anymore," she said, swallowing hard again. "I don't know if I can do this if you're not willing—"

"I don't know if I can," he admitted.

For a moment, they stood facing one another until at last she turned away.

"This is my problem with Faith," she said shortly. "I don't want to cause you and your _friends _any problems because of it."

Something suddenly clicked in his head. "If you're being noble because of Faith…"

"I'm not," she snapped, her voice echoing in the hallway. Harry was well aware that they had probably attracted the attention of the whole floor by now. "I need time."

"I'll give you time—"

"I don't want you involved with Faith," Willow said, averting her gaze from his. "This is my fight."

"Now who's acting like a reckless hero—"

"No," she retorted, glaring at him. Harry shivered as he saw the deranged look in her eyes. "This is _my _fight," she repeated coldly. "You've already fought and survived in your private war. Now it's my turn."

"She… she could kill you."

"I know the risks," she replied.

"I won't… I can't… lose you."

She gave a short, sharp laugh as her eyes met his. "Don't," she said quietly.

"I can't help it," he replied. "I need to protect you."

"You can't protect me, Harry," she replied sadly. "Have you learned nothing? After three years of being a Slayer's sidekick, it's my turn now." She smiled grimly as she stepped around him. "Please, just… go."

Harry watched as she approached her door and disappeared inside. Sighing, he turned to leave when he caught sight of a huge fist speeding towards him.

Once inside, Willow bent down and began picking up the books she had thrown against her wall. Padma was sitting at her desk, watching her.

"Are you okay?" Padma asked softly.

"I will be," Willow replied. She stood up and nearly collapsed, dumping the books across her neatly-made bed. "I can't believe I just did that."

"But don't… don't you like him?"

"Of course I do," Willow whispered. "But I can't let him get involved in this… I won't risk his life… not again."

Padma turned back to her work, sighing. Willow walked over and placed the books from her bed onto her desk. She was about to sit down and begin studying again when another knock sounded at her door.

"Do you want me to—"

"No," Willow said firmly, marching across their small room. "I'll take care of it." Expecting a full confrontation with Harry, she pulled the door open and nearly gasped at the figure standing on the other side. Despite the bruising and the arm sling, Buffy Summers looked almost as great as she remembered. Feeling as though all of her indignation had been swept away, she burst into tears and flung herself into her best friend's arms, her wails sounding openly in the corridors.

x-o-x

To be continued…

x-o-x

Yes, this was meant to be a two-part chapter. Willow's insanity is basically explained in the next chapter. It had something to do with Faith's last encounter with Buffy and how hurt Willow was in the first place. I never wanted to do this, but it was kind of fun to do. The next chapter promises much action and more.


	17. Her Will Be Done

_Author's Note_: Love to Grace, who inspired me in ways I never thought possible… by threatening something evil. Happy holidays to you all! This is the first story I chose to update because this was something I have been looking forward to for a long, long time. This is the private battle of wills between a distraught Willow and an irate, semi-psychotic Slayer Faith. Again, this is a longer chapter. A lot happens in this chapter, so be warned. There are a few Half-Blood Prince spoilers because of a few things that are starting to happen. Something old seems to reignite… something new seems to come out from beneath… and something darker begins to take form. Buckle up, because the ride is just beginning…

x-o-x

**Chapter 17**

**Her Will Be Done**

x-o-x

The sunlight was barely coming through the windows as Willow lifted her head warily off her pillow, staring behind her thick curtains to the beautiful November day beyond. "It's morning," she said unnecessarily, falling back onto the bed beside her best friend. Buffy Summers was lying on the bed next to her, soft hazel eyes boring into Willow's face. "We've been up all night."

"Looks like it," Buffy yawned, pushing herself up on her elbow and gazing outside. Willow glanced at her watch and saw that it was already ten past seven. "You feeling better?"

Willow, who had just spent the entire evening pouring her heart out to her friend, shrugged and tipped her head back onto Buffy's shoulder. "I miss having someone to talk to."

"What about that Keira girl you were telling me about?" Buffy frowned.

"It's different between us than between _us,_" Willow emphasized. "No one could replace you."

It was true: no one could replace Buffy in Willow's eyes. Despite the fact that Faith had done some serious injury to the blonde Slayer, which apparently included splashing her face with some sort of acidic compound, Buffy still looked as strong as ever. Her hand and wrist had both been crushed when an anvil weighing close to two tons was dropped on her from above. The one thing that saved her life was the fact that Buffy had dove out of the way, but the cost was still high. Buffy still wore the sling, but Willow cringed whenever she saw the deep bruises still scarring Buffy's face and saw the same bruising on her best friend's arm. Beautiful as she was, it was still tragic.

And yet they had been talking all night long. She had flung herself into Buffy's arms the moment she had recognized her. After she had spent a few moments sobbing her heart out into Buffy's shoulder, she realized that there was another figure standing in the hallway hovering over the fallen form of her boyfriend. Collapsing against Buffy, Willow had watched as Harry, his hand covering his bloody nose, gaped at the two women. Xander Harris, massaging his left hand from his fierce hook, had politely stepped around Harry after cheerfully apologizing for hitting him. Harry just got to his feet, muttering. It unsettled him to see Willow sobbing into the stranger's shoulder. It made even less sense that someone that she obviously knew had just defended her honor by dealing him a vicious left hook. The guy hit pretty well for being all string bean-like.

Xander had then run and swept Willow into such a fierce hug that Harry seemed stunned by the emotion behind it all. It was clearly obvious these three had some sort of history. What made matters even more intriguing was the way Willow hugged him. It wasn't the hug of a lover; no… it was the hug of a true friend. Recalling Willow's fond stories of her best friends from California, Harry deduced that these were them. Which meant that the small blonde had to be the vampire Slayer Willow had told them about.

His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her. She was quite small and rather skinny. In fact, she looked like she wouldn't be able to hold her own against someone like Pansy Parkinson. She had an air of distinct dottiness about her that made Harry think she was more of an airhead than someone he could count on. But as he met her eyes, he saw something raw that scared the dickens out of him. There was bruising across her jaw and the left side of her face. Her left arm was in a sling. Though injured in some fierce battle, there was something remarkable about her.

It was then he turned away. Willow had just dragged both people back into her room and closed the door. The sound echoed through the hallway. He saw curious faces peering out from behind cracked-open doors, hoping to catch more drama. Cursing under his breath, he realized that their entire argument had just been witnessed by a large group of students he had once gone to Hogwarts with. Storming towards the stairwell, he felt his bruised nose and his eyes watered.

Inside her room, Willow glanced at Padma, who sat there staring curiously at the blonde woman and the dark-haired man. "Guys," she began nervously, "this is Padma Patil, my roommate. Padma, this is Buffy Summers and Xander Harris, two of my best friends from Sunnydale."

Padma's eyes lit up as she gazed at Xander, who was rather good looking in a scruffy sort of way. But her eyes positively gleamed as she gazed at Buffy. "You," she whispered, "you're… her?"

"I'm her what?" Buffy asked politely as she exchanged a quick look with Xander, who rolled his eyes.

"You… is _she _the one you told me about?" Padma asked Willow in a hushed voice.

Willow nodded twice, still dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse.

"Blimey!" Padma gasped, jumping to her feet. "I… oh, wow!" She was trembling now as she gazed at Buffy with something like reverence in her eyes. "I'm sorry, you must think me a silly fangirl..." She took a deep breath. "I'll… I'll clear out and let you three… catch up."

"Actually," the one called Xander said, frowning as he gazed at the door. "I think I'll go figure out where the others went."

"Others?" Willow squealed.

"You know, Giles, Anya…" Her voice trailed off delicately. "Oz."

Willow suddenly froze, her eyes widening. "You brought Oz?" she asked softly.

"And this is when I clear out," Xander said quickly, practically running to the door and throwing it open. "You coming?"

Padma, who was still gazing rather fondly at Buffy, seemed to shake herself out of her reverie and quickly ducked through the door. Xander gave both girls a small wink and a half-wave before closing the door behind him.

The moment they were gone, Willow sat down, breathing hard.

"Willow, what's going on?" Buffy asked, sitting down on the other side of her best friend. "You look like crap."

Willow nodded miserably. "I think it started when Faith showed up and it kind of spiraled out of control from there."

Buffy's face seemed to harden as she pushed herself back against Willow's mountain of pillows and stuffed animals. "Well, that's why I'm here."

Willow turned to look at Buffy, her face fearful. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been given the Council's blessing to bring her down… dead or alive," Buffy said grimly. "Apparently they didn't take too kindly on the fact that Faith nearly killed her welcoming committee."

"She put you in the hospital, too," Willow echoed. "What did she do to you? You look terrible."

"We had a fight at one of those chemical plants just south of town," Buffy sighed, leaning her head against a large teddy bear. "It was brutal. She got the higher ground and I paid for it."

"But your healing…"

"I've healed as much as I could," Buffy replied. "Trust me… I looked a lot worse about a week ago. I had a cup-full of acid thrown in my face. I had an anvil used to crush stuff dropped on my head. I barely managed to get out of that but I still ended up with this." She indicated her arm in the sling. "It caught my hand. Guess two tons of solid metal can't really do much with the Slayer might behind it. As soon as I heard she was hitting up England, I made the call. The Council supported it and got us into this place for free. And speaking of this place…" She looked around, slightly bored. "What is this place?"

"It's school," Willow said carefully. "But I'm thinking it's becoming home."

"We've met some interesting people since we got here," Buffy replied, shifting over so Willow could join her on the bed. "Some of them sort of gave my senses the runaround. And one of them looks like a mini-Spike."

Willow's eyes widened. "You saw Draco already?"

"What kind of name is Draco?"

"It's Latin," Willow responded. "And that wasn't my question."

"Yeah, I ran into him. Didn't like the way he talked about you… and there was this girl with him. I was getting the weirdest vibe from her… like she's hiding something that she doesn't want anyone to know about. Do you know her? She's dark and little with a constipated look?"

Willow nearly choked at Buffy's description of Pansy Parkinson. "Yeah, her name's Pansy."

"Well, what do you know… irony strikes again," Buffy replied. Suddenly she started laughing. It became louder and more infectious. Despite Willow's current problems with Keira, Pansy, Draco, Harry and Faith, she started giggling as well. Soon, both were lying exhausted.

"I so needed that," Willow said softly.

"The entire gang wanted to come to help, you know," Buffy said, turning her head to look at her. "Oz said that wild horses or an Aerosmith opening couldn't keep him away. I don't care what happened between the two of you, but he wanted to do this. I wasn't going to tell him he couldn't. It's you, Will. No matter what, you're our Willow and if anything happens to you, it affects us all." She paused. "I'd like to meet this Keira person."

"How did you—?"

"Actually, I got a letter this morning from someone named… something with an H, anyway," Buffy shrugged. "She said that a girl named Keira Isley had been attacked by Faith and you were the one who confronted her." Leaning over, she patted Willow's arm. "I know you've got something going on, because I see it in your face. And if it has anything to do with that scar-head, well… we'll take care of him, too."

Willow sighed, recalling the horrified look on Harry's face as she had hugged Xander. Xander had apparently punched him for some odd reason. And then the reason struck her. "How long were you guys in the corridor?"

"We were there for every word of that fight you two had," Buffy replied. Then her gaze grew serious. "Will, what you said to him made sense. You don't want to risk his life because of what Faith could do to him. That's noble. But… from what I've been told and briefed on, he's been through a lot, too. Would it honestly be so bad if you met halfway? Because he is a hottie."

"He is, isn't he?" Willow giggled, nudging her best friend. "Well…" Her voice trailed off as her confusion mounted. She knew Harry liked her and she liked him, as well. But there was something underlying there, something that was purposely keeping them apart. It was their old lives and their past demons. Now that Oz was back though… he had come to England to make sure she was okay. He was in this country, in the school, possibly in this very building now… suddenly she felt comforted. Her friends were there. They were strongest working together. Their little fight with the Mayor had taught Willow that. And now they were there for her and that was far more comforting to her than anything Hermione Granger could come up with.

As they continued to talk through the night about everything from Willow's classes and friends to Buffy's new life at UC-Sunnydale, Willow noticed that Padma didn't come back. Nor did any of her other friends come by to say hi.

Now that it was morning, Willow sat up and began searching through her things for clothing. Buffy was still lying on her bed, watching her. "What's going on this morning?"

"Quidditch," Willow replied, finding her train case and pulling her clothing into her arms. "Um… it's a game played on broomsticks. Harry's team plays today, so I hope Xander didn't hit him too hard."

Buffy's face hardened. "He shouldn't have been such a jerk to you."

"He isn't," Willow affirmed quietly. "He was just being Harry."

Buffy shrugged as she sat up. In the light, her injuries looked less than they had been the night before. "I suppose I should find Anya… she has my suitcase. Where is this game at?"

"Why don't you meet me at the cafeteria in an hour," Willow suggested. "I'm sure someone could point you in the right direction. If not, it's right inside the double doors of that big building there." Pulling her curtains aside, she gestured to the building half-shrouded in fog.

Buffy nodded and stood up, watching as Willow padded to the door. She followed her best friend into the hallway. It was very quiet still as Willow walked a few doors down and pulled open the bathroom door. "If you need anything, you know where to find me," she said to Buffy.

"You bet," the Slayer replied, running a hand through her wild blonde hair and grimacing. "Now I _really _want my clothes."

Willow laughed as Buffy jogged off, feeling much more lighthearted than she had been the day before. Tucking inside the bathroom, she walked over to the showers. At least one of her problems was solved, she thought with vicious satisfaction. At least now Faith would get what was coming to her.

x-o-x

It was nearly nine o'clock when Buffy reappeared back at the cafeteria. Wearing a snug pair of jeans and a faux-fur vest that seemed to accentuate her rather striking figure, she presented a daring target for the many male eyes that followed her through the crowded breakfast area. Willow was sitting at the end of her usual table with Keira and Hermione. All three girls looked up as Buffy joined them.

"Buffy, this is Keira Isley and Hermione Granger," Willow said quickly by means of an introduction.

Buffy nodded at Hermione, but turned her eyes to Keira. "I think we need to have a little one-on-one talk."

Keira swallowed what little of her tea was left and stood up.

Willow glanced at what little remained of her breakfast and how tiny Buffy really looked. At least she had taken that sling off. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked Buffy quickly before the other woman took off.

"I did," Buffy replied, smiling slightly. "And don't worry about showing me the Quidditch pitch or whatever it's called… you can do that, can't you?" she asked, turning her attention to Keira.

"The game doesn't begin till eleven," Keira replied quickly. "Surely this won't take that long?"

Buffy gave the dark-haired girl a strange look. "Okay. While we walk, I'll tell you about the concept of 'witness protection'."

As the two walked back out, Hermione turned to Willow. "That's her?"

"The one and only," Willow said proudly. "Buffy Anne Summers, Slayer extraordinaire and the answer to my problems."

Hermione was frowning at Willow's nonchalant expression. "What about Harry?"

"Harry?" Willow asked, frowning.

"He was in his room this morning. He didn't say anything, either," Hermione replied. "He just said that you two had another row and something about being hit in the face by someone claiming to be your friend."

Willow sighed heavily. "I totally screwed that up," she moaned miserably. "I really didn't mean to, but I guess I just snapped. It's really hard being the new girl here and learning about something you all did last year."

"I guess that's a problem when you're both trying to be heroes," Hermione said, a funny smile playing around the corners of her mouth.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked, frowning.

"I just meant that you were hiding as much as he was."

"I've been almost completely open with him!"

"You didn't tell him about Faith until it was too late."

"I didn't even _know _about Faith until it was too late," Willow protested. "That wasn't my fault."

"Do you want to know what he said to me?" Hermione asked, glancing both ways before leaning closer to Willow. "He told me that you were what matters to him now. He fought his battles last year and won a war for us. And he watched people he loved die. He doesn't want that to happen to you. He's willing to do just about anything for you. But he also knows that this is a personal battle between you and Faith and he's willing to give you whatever space you need. But he's there, Will. We all are. Not all of us fought in great battles against Voldemort. Not all of us faced Death Eaters or the Dementors or the Inferi. We all faced different evils, but in the end he was the one who took the ultimate plunge."

Willow forced herself to nod. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you have to know that he cares about you almost as much as he cares about himself, if not more," Hermione said earnestly. "This isn't beneath him, Willow. This isn't beneath any of us. We're willing to go the distance, but we're also willing to give you space. Don't worry about protecting us. Some of us can hex with the best of them. You just worry about what you have to do."

This was one of the best pep talks she'd had in a while, Willow thought wryly. If only Hermione knew about her other dilemmas. "Thank you," she whispered, reaching over and taking Hermione's hand. "Thank you so much."

Hermione leaned over and hugged her quickly. "Now," she said, a smile lighting up her face. "Let's get started on that Potions work."

x-o-x

It was quarter to eleven by the time Hermione and Willow finally reached the Quidditch pitch. They were met by Keira and Buffy, who were saving seats in the first row. Buffy was sitting on the aisle, her hand covering her eyes as brilliant November sunlight seemed to shine upon them all. This was the last game of the year and because all of the other teams wanted to know their place in the standings, nearly everyone in school would be attending this game today.

On their way to the pitch, Hermione had stopped Willow and nudged her in the direction of Harry's and Ron's Quidditch team. Willow just stood and watched as Hermione embraced Ron. Harry barely looked at her as he trudged on, his shoulders set and square. She wasn't going to be miserable about this. Not anymore… she couldn't afford the luxury of misery… not with Faith on the loose.

"You really should talk to him," Hermione told her as they continued up the steps into the stands. "I think you'd feel better if you got that out of the way."

"The last thing I want to do is fight with someone else."

"Will…"

"No, I mean it," Willow murmured, turning behind her to gaze reproachfully at Hermione. "Hasn't my life been hard enough without having to worry about what the great Harry Potter thinks?"

Hermione was quiet for a moment. "You didn't mean that."

Willow didn't answer her. She didn't know what she meant anymore. Having a brain to think about these details wasn't something she was willing to give herself.

Buffy and Keira were waiting in the stands already, near the front row. There were also three others present, and Willow felt her hard look split into a grin. "Oh my gosh, Oz!"

Hermione felt herself powerless as a short young man with bright orange hair literally threw himself into Willow's arms. She held him back, beaming. Hermione waited patiently until Keira cleared her throat and stepped over her own chair for the introductions.

"Seeing as I've just spent the morning with this motley crew," Keira said, highly amused, "I'll do the intros. That's Xander Harris and Anya… um… didn't catch your last name, love?"

"Jenkins," Anya muttered. "How hard is it to remember 'Jenkins'?"

"Right… Anya Jenkins," Keira said, shaking her head as Hermione stepped forward to shake Xander's outstretched hand. "You've met Buffy Summers. And that's Daniel Osbourne… otherwise known as Oz."

This was Oz… the man Willow had loved pre-Harry. The man who, with his arms still around the small redhead, still appeared to have feelings for her. There was a look of incredible calm on his face as he held Willow. Willow was making soft purring noises Hermione had never noticed before. "It's quite nice to meet you all," she said politely as Willow and Oz parted at last, sharing a relieved smile. "Thanks," she added to Keira, who grinned at her.

"Not a problem."

They all filed into the row where they were joined a short time later by Neville, Dean and Seamus as well as Padma and Parvati Patil and their giggling group of onlookers. The moment Xander came into view, however, Padma grabbed her twin and started whispering in her hair. As they filed into the row behind him, they both chanted, "Hello, Xander."

"Uh… hi?" Xander asked, turning around to see the two twin girls wearing identical mischievous grins. "Oh…"

"I'm Padma," the first said, placing her hand on her chest. "This is my twin, Parvati. You know… it really is _good _to see you again."

Anya, who was sitting opposite him, glanced over her shoulder and threw the twins a scathing look. "Go get your own orgasms," she spat, dragging Xander back into his seat and seizing him by the coat so he had no choice but to turn around. Padma and Parvati looked scandalized. Willow just gave Anya a familiar grin. Keira, meanwhile, choked into her coffee. Buffy just rolled her eyes and glanced at Oz sitting on her other side.

"It's nice to see things haven't changed," she whispered in the direction of his ear.

"They never do," Oz agreed.

Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but there was suddenly a great roar as seven blurred figures flew out of a door near the top of the opposite stands. "Oh," she whispered, seeing the seven blurs soaring around the stadium to the thunderous applause from a few stands on the opposite end.

"Damned dragon cult," a voice muttered from behind her.

Buffy leaned closer to the rail, her eyes scanning another seven figures shooting out from a door beneath their own stands. Almost immediately Hermione and Keira jumped to their feet, cheering. Willow half-heartedly followed, seated between Xander and Oz. When all were standing, she said something to Oz and they switched places so Willow could stand next to her best friend. "Harry's team," she breathed.

"I see," Buffy replied slowly, watching as Harry Potter flew on his broomstick before stopping. "So those are real… broomsticks?"

"Every last twig," Willow grinned. "Sweet, eh?"

"I am fascinated," Buffy replied, her eyes twinkling. Willow hooked her arm through Buffy's as the two sat down again. It was then that Willow noticed that Buffy was wearing a long black leather duster.

"Going for the Angel look?" she asked curiously.

"It was a gift," Buffy replied, sweeping her hands over the sweet-smelling leather. "I kinda like it."

"So where's Giles?"

"He's meeting with the Council. Now that we know that Faith's been lingering here, they're putting together a strike team to get her out of here in the actual event we find her," Buffy replied. "But I—"

Her next words were cut off by a roar; the game had begun. Falling silent, Buffy began to watch in utmost awe at the grace and speed of all players involved. Her eyes were drawn to both Harry Potter and to that rude blonde kid she'd run into the night before.

"What did you and Keira talk about?"

Buffy turned her attention to Willow, who was staring hard at her.

"Just security precautions," Buffy replied easily. "Why?"

"I hope you weren't grilling her," Willow warned ominously.

"I wasn't," Buffy replied, her eyes darkening. "I just wanted a first-hand account of what Faith did to her. She told me. And now I want to kill the psychotic bitch."

Willow swallowed hard. She still didn't know the entire truth about what happened to Keira. But she knew that Buffy now did and that was good enough for her. Because Buffy had murder in her eyes… and that alone was a very frightening concept.

It was then she noticed that Buffy was leaning forward again. "What's the score?"

"We're leading sixty to forty… why?"

"Hmm," Buffy sighed, leaning back. "I just feel… my spidey sense is going haywire."

"You've got a few hundred Wizards and Witches around you."

"Not that," Buffy frowned. "I'm sensing danger and it's close."

"Faith?"

"Not that… nothing near what she's got. I just sense…" She glanced down suddenly and moved her feet from the bottom of the stands. Another roar sounded around her as Willow's team scored again. Hermione was jumping up and down and waving her arms in the air. Keira stood at the end, shouting "Go Aura!"

"Aura?" Buffy asked, turning to Willow.

"Aura Starr… also in our house."

"A friend?"

"Definitely not an enemy."

"Hmm."

"Will you stop that?"

"No," Buffy replied. "I can't. Something's wrong and I don't know what it is."

"Your sixth sense picked something up?"

"Yeah," Buffy replied, staring hard at the ground. "Yeah…"

At that exact moment, two arrows were shot in quick succession into the Quidditch game. Buffy immediately stood up as a cold rush of wind lifted her blonde hair from her face. She heard the creaking before she felt it. Chaos seemed to erupt on the field as two players were struck by the arrows. One of the players was soon plummeting to the ground.

"RON!" Hermione shrieked, her hands clasping in horror over her mouth.

There was a rush of footsteps coming forward. "No," Buffy whispered, grasping the rail. "Don't move! It's unstable… don't move! Get out of here! Go! Go!"

But no one paid her any heed. As another player dropped from the sky, twelve Quidditch players abandoned the game, the Bludgers flying away harmlessly and the Quaffle dropped to the ground below. Realizing that there was a player speeding rapidly in her direction with a look of abject terror on his face, Buffy nearly dove out of the way just as a third arrow came whistling in front of her, catching the player at his side.

There was suddenly a crack and the Quidditch stand abruptly pitched forward. It took the students a moment to realize what was happening, but it was far too late. Willow gasped and leaned back as the stands jerked. Buffy was barely holding onto the rail and she saw a figure spiraling out of control straight towards them. "Buffy!"

"Get out of here," Buffy said, turning to look at Willow desperately. "Get the hell out of here."

"No, Buffy!" Willow cried, but Keira had already seized her by the arm and was dragging her to the exits. There was another resounding crack and the next thing she knew, the top row was breaking from the rest of the wooden structure and was pitching forward. There were other screams, too. "Look out!" "Watch it!" "Move!"

"We've gotta go," Keira breathed into her shoulder.

But it was too late.

Buffy had been holding onto the rail when the front rows broke off from the rear. As the wooden structure collapsed near the earth, she leapt forward, seizing the end of a spinning broomstick handle.

"What do you think—?" came an angry reply. She didn't have time to answer. A great banner suddenly came down upon them and with it several hundred pounds of wooden structure. She barely had time to react, much less cry out for help. All she could do was hold on as she, the broomstick and its rider fell to the ground and crashed through a series of wooden beams before she hit the ground with a hard thud. Then she saw debris collapsing and dove out of the way just as piles of rock and wooden splinters landed where she had been standing a moment before. Seeing the figure lying on his back and moaning, she flung herself over the rider and protected him, her back and neck taking the brunt of the debris still falling from the sky.

Willow glanced over her shoulder as she saw figures flying over the rails. Her feet were starting to move backwards. Keira was still above her, holding onto a seat, her face full of exhaustion. She couldn't see anyone else. People were screaming. The scene was completely surreal. It sure as hell didn't feel real. She was about to start running when she felt a great whoosh above her head and glanced up. There were two broomsticks above them.

"Grab my hand!" Harry shouted, reaching down towards Keira. She didn't hesitate as she released the seat and clutched his hand. "Willow!"

Willow turned from where students were still diving off of the structure to avoid being crushed to death. She spun around as Keira seized her arm painfully and then she felt a strange soaring sensation. Her only other view was of Aura hauling the others away. Students were still spilling onto the Quidditch pitch to rescue the dozens of students who had fallen.

She wasn't aware of being set down, but the moment her feet touched the earth, she nearly collapsed, instead falling into Keira. "It's okay," her friend murmured, looking around in shock as the dust and smoke began to clear. "We're alive. It's okay."

But Willow didn't know where anyone else was. Buffy had been at the front when the rail had fallen away. She had seen Xander, Anya and Oz running up with the Patil twins. She suddenly saw them and let out a strangled cry, rushing over splinters of wood and through a cloud of dust to fling herself into Xander's embrace.

"Willow!" Anya cried, rushing over to hug Willow with unnecessary flourish. "You're alive."

"Yeah," Willow sighed, looking around as Keira suddenly appeared. Hermione was standing behind her with Aura. Hermione looked terrified. Aura, however, wore a dark expression. "What was that?"

"Someone sabotaged the stands!" Aura thundered. "Someone who knew that a direct shift in weight would cause it to collapse!"

"Faith."

"Willow?"

"Someone fired those arrows!" Willow shrieked, turning to look at Keira and Hermione. "Someone knew what they were doing! She didn't want to kill anyone… not yet… not unless she could go for show!"

"Ron," Hermione moaned.

There was a sudden influx as bystanders from the other Quidditch stands arrived, looking horrified. There were screams coming from the pitch. Willow turned her head, her eyes tearing over as Oz stepped up beside her, a comforting hand moving to her neck. "Will… we need to go."

"I'm not going anywhere," Willow replied. "I'm not leaving until I know everyone's all right."

"Willow!"

"Harry," she murmured, turning to see Harry running towards her. He stopped cold when he saw the figure standing next to Willow, holding onto her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm okay," she said softly.

"She's in shock," Oz said, giving Harry a cool look. "Aren't you…"

"Yeah," Xander said, a hint of pride evident in his voice, "I hit him."

Oz turned back to glare at Harry. "Good."

"We need to figure out…" Hermione began, but just as she was about to start issuing orders, a flurry of Professors and school staff suddenly came upon them. Percy Weasley stopped the instant he recognized Harry and Hermione's faces.

"What happened?" Percy gasped as he stopped right in front of Harry.

"Someone sabotaged the game," Hermione whispered. "Someone fired arrows into the players, knowing that they would cause our stands to break."

"I don't understand," Percy said, glancing at her. "What happened?"

"The top of the stands broke off and fell onto the pitch," Keira said in a lifeless voice. "Some of us got away… but the others…"

"Get back up to the school and stick together," Percy ordered them, pulling out his wand and headed back towards the Quidditch pitch. There was now a smoky haze hovering just above the spot where their stands had collapsed.

"You didn't tell him about Ron."

Keira glanced at Hermione and saw that the girl was seconds from collapse. "He'll be okay." Seeing the look on Willow's face, she continued, "Let's get back to the school."

By now, there were dozens of groups like themselves standing on the periphery of the Quidditch stands. There was also the sound of screaming and crying from what remained. Feeling as though a dead weight had settled into her stomach, Willow gazed once at the stands, felt the ground pitch and fell face-first into the grounds.

x-o-x

"What… what happened?"

Buffy slowly got up on her hands and knees, realizing that the figure beneath her was stirring. "We fell… about two hundred feet by the looks of it. Your broomstick saved my life, by the way."

"Who the bloody hell do you think you are?" The weak voice was angry, but she found a pair of grey eyes blinking at her in the darkness.

"I saved your life, so a little thanks may be in order," Buffy retorted.

"I can't see anything."

"It's pitch black in here… of course you can't."

"Where… are we?"

"I think we're underground," Buffy replied, shifting her weight carefully off of him. She reached above her head and felt a solid weight of debris just a foot or so from where she was crouching. She glanced around, her superior Slayer vision seeing the utter destruction around her. "We fell right through the ground."

There was a cough and splutter before she heard the angry, "We?"

"Buffy Summers," she said, leaning over to examine him now.

"Draco Malfoy."

"There… now we're not strangers," she said, feeling him up and down. She heard him protest weakly, but she soon found what she was looking for. Digging out of his side was an arrow. "You've been shot."

"Is that why I can't see anything?"

"I don't know. It's dark in here."

"Wand…"

"What?" Buffy asked, glancing back down at him.

"Where's my wand? I kept it in my pocket."

"Can you get it?"

"I can't reach it," Draco replied softly. "My hands…"

Buffy quickly felt above his head and found that one of his hands was pinned underneath a bunch of debris just inches from where he'd landed. His other hand was lying awkwardly across his middle. "Can you feel this one?" she asked, gently touching his left arm.

He shook his head, grimacing. "I hurt everywhere. I just can't…" But his words were cut off as he choked and coughed. She winced as she saw a good amount of blood and fluid spurt out before his head fell back onto the earth. "Where's my wand?"

"Your pocket, right?"

"I didn't say I wanted you to get it… you're a Mudblood, aren't you?"

"Even if I was, you don't have much time to say whether I can help you or not," Buffy snapped irritably, feeling along his pockets until she came across a thin strip of wood. Reaching over, she gently pushed it into his bruised and swollen left hand. "It's on your hand."

"Lumos," he sighed. A brilliant blue light suddenly flickered right in front of him. His gaze was immediately drawn to one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen hovering over him. "Wow."

"Shut up," she replied, taking the wand from him hand despite his feeble protests. Sticking up above them in a small space, Draco was able to see that they were quite literally trapped. It cast a pale blue glow over their entire space, which wasn't much. It was also then that she noticed that there was a great deal of blood on the earth. Gasping, she moved aside, seeing that the arrow was quite possibly acting as a blood thinner, making it impossible for a clot to form. "You're bleeding."

"Really?" he asked, sounding vaguely interested. "It might explain the lightheadedness."

"Don't be a smartass," she replied. He winced as he felt a sharp pain ripple through his battered body. He then saw a black stick dangling in front of his blurred vision. "Does this look familiar? It was sticking right above your rear end."

"Ouch," he muttered, watching as she snapped the arrow in half and tossed it aside.

"It looks like it had a poisoned tip," she replied. He felt another surge of pain as well as a chill as she pressed her cold hand to his wound. There was a squelching sound and he sighed, feeling as though he could pass out at any time. "Do you hurt anywhere else?"

"Only every single orifice in my body," he moaned.

"You'll be okay," she told him, but her voice trembled. She just noticed that one of his legs was sitting at a very odd angle. The other was straight forward but his shins were a bloody mess. Slowly, she moved over to his opposite side, her movements as quick and light as a feline. Pulling off her brand-new leather jacket, she rolled it into a ball and placed it under his head. As she rested his head back down, he turned silver eyes to hers. "I want you to promise me something," she said softly, her eyes meeting him. "Promise me you won't fall asleep."

"I can't," he murmured, as her hand came up to cradle his. He felt renewed pressure on the wound against his hip. "I'm so tired…"

"Don't," she said. His eyes widened as he saw the panic flashing through them. "If you fall asleep, you could die."

There was a silence that passed between them. He then turned his gaze to his hovering wand. "Any chance you could blast a hole through there?"

"I don't do magic."

"So you _are _a Mudblood!"

"I don't care what I am," she snapped, turning back to look at him. "If I try to break through that, the whole pile's gonna come on top of us. It will kill us both. Chances are, some survived long enough to figure out we're missing."

Draco felt a cold weight settle in his stomach. He thought of Crabbe and Goyle who seemed to be too stupid to ask for directions, much less realize that he was missing. He had no real friends… there was no one out there who would miss him…

"No one's going to come for me."

"What?"

"I said no one is going to come for me," Draco snapped, glaring up at her.

"Well, luckily for you, I have friends that will," Buffy replied in a harsh tone. "Now I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we both get out of here alive. But I can't keep you alive if you're, say, unconscious."

"I'll try."

"Well, try hard," she replied, a slight pout coming to her face. "If I have to use my sex appeal, so be it."

Draco cracked a smirk, a thin trail of blood now emitting from the far corner of his mouth. "I really don't think I'm up for it."

She threw him a disgruntled look. "Never said I was going to pull anything on you now, did I?"

"I didn't know Mudbloods could be so pretty."

"What _is _a Mudblood, anyway?"

"Someone born to non-magical parents. Someone like you, apparently."

"Aww, how touching," Buffy replied sarcastically. "Lucky for you, I'm not exactly a Mudblood. I'm the—"

"Slayer, yes, we all know," Draco replied, rolling his eyes. "You're a bloody celebrity from where I'm sitting. Well… from where I'm lying, anyway. You kill vampires for a living and you have some sort of pre-destined timeline that kills you off before you're twenty, is that it?"

"Crude, but not quite so," came her dry reply. "I'm almost nineteen now and I've only died once. But that's beside my point. I'm boring… let's not talk about me. Let's talk about you."

"You're not so boring where I am," Draco told her.

"Well, I sort of want to know where the attitude came from. I'm not a bad person, you know, even if I am this Mudblood. So tell me why you're such a crab-ass and I'll leave you alone."

"I…" How could he tell her that he didn't want to be alone? They were trapped in a small space and the only light evident was shining from his wand above his head. He felt her hand on his skin and winced. She had risked her life to get him to safety. She was also doing something to keep him alive. He didn't know what it was yet, but she was doing something. "My parents aren't nice people. They've done bad things… they've killed people. And they tried to get me to kill someone."

There was a pause on her end. "I'm listening."

"How much do you know about he-who-must-not-be-named?"

"Just about nothing," she replied. "Maybe you can tell me that too."

"I would love to," Draco replied dryly. "As soon as I die from whatever I'm dying from. The point is, I'm not that person anymore. I want to change, but I don't know how."

"Now we're off topic," she said softly. "Just tell me why you are the way you are."

"I just did that…"

"No, you just gave me a vague answer to a question about why you're not like your parents. Tell me about he-who-must-not-be-named."

Draco closed his eyes for a moment before turning away. Talking about himself was painful because he had to admit he had done something so terrible… he couldn't look her in the eye as he spoke. She was this brave heroic person who was stuck in hell with a nothing like him… and he had no idea what to do if they were stuck here for any extended period of time.

x-o-x

A single, pale hand reached up and unsnapped the Velcro, peeling it off of a sleek black glove before the rubber fell to the ground. The same slim hand reached down to push shut a briefcase with four vials inside. Three of the vials were empty and a fourth was just waiting to be used.

Faith straightened up as she set her specialized arrows aside. She had known that the Quidditch stand was weak, even before she took out the support mounts. She had then used arrows to cause chaos by downing two or three players. Her aim was still perfect. She hadn't been going for the kill, but just enough to drive chaos into order.

She reached down and placed her bow into the corner. Straightening up, she smoothed her long, leather-clad body and glanced over her shoulder. Those stupid morons hadn't known what hit them. And the perfect crème de la crème was Buffy's appearance at the match. So far, Buffy Summers hadn't been accounted for. Faith wished that fate had finally given her a gift and had dropped Buffy off the face of the Earth, but she knew that it was too easy that way. If she was going to take care of things, it was going to start with Red. And that was exactly what she was going to do.

x-o-x

Willow sat on her bed, watching as medi-Wizards worked on Keira and Harry. She was still shaken over the events of that afternoon, but nothing compared to the number of students now coming in. Students were also jumping at the chance to go back onto the Quidditch pitch to find the missing students.

Buffy was still unaccounted for.

Oz hadn't left her side. Neither had Xander or Anya, but that was because Anya was afraid that Xander would be attacked by a crowd of female admirers. Keira was sitting on the bed next to Willow as she got her all clear to return to the pitch. Neville had turned up a few seconds earlier and quietly told her that they had found bodies.

Hermione, of course, had fainted dead away at that proclamation as Ronald Weasley was still missing, too.

Willow felt sick. Faith was twisted and sadistic and her cruelty surely knew no boundaries. She stood up numbly and followed her friends to the doorway when she felt an arm holding her back. "She's after you personally, Wil. She could kill you."

"Do you think any of that matters now?" Willow asked, turning to look at Xander incredulously. "She attacked one of my best friends. She tried to kill Buffy, who is your best friend, too. And some of my friends are still missing. If I can help find them, then that's what I'm going to do."

"Will, are you coming?" Keira asked softly from behind her.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Willow replied, turning and joining Keira as the two women left.

Xander sighed and walked back towards the school medi-Witch who was hurriedly filling a potions bottle with her wand. "Well… as we're not going anywhere fast… can you use a few more sets of hands?"

The medi-Witch glanced at him. "Do you have any experience in magic or medicine?"

"I don't."

"I do."

"Anya?" Xander turned around as Anya stood up on watery legs.

"I'm sorry, Xander, but I saw what that Slayer did today. My medical experience might have included chopping off body parts where they didn't belong, but at least I'm doing something instead of standing here feeling helpless when there's probably dead kids everywhere!"

"Anya…"

"No, you listen!" she snapped, turning on Xander with tears trickling out of her eyes. "I'm not going to stay here and wait while she takes us all out one by one. We lost the strong player, Xander! Buffy may be dead and if she is, we're royally screwed!"

"No… we're not."

They both turned to look at Oz. He was still sitting on the bed, staring at the place where Willow had been sitting a moment before.

"What?" Xander asked quietly.

"Willow. She'll see it done if Faith took out the good Slayer. She probably did."

"Yeah," Anya said quietly. "Willow… I think we keep forgetting who she really is… she's one powerful Wicca."

"Well, she's pissed if not powerful…"

The four girls were now walking out into the grounds. Night had fallen and great spotlights were still shining on the Quidditch pitch. From where they were standing, they could still hear screaming.

"Are you ready to go back there?" Hermione whispered in a mortified voice. "I mean… what will we find?"

"We'll find them," Keira replied. "Right Willow?"

Willow didn't reply. Her eyes looked strangely unfocused as she took the step forward, leading them over to the Quidditch pitch, still so bright in the distance.

x-o-x

To be continued…

x-o-x

I once thought that this would be two parts… silly me. I realize now that it'll be three. If it keeps you on your toes, you know…


End file.
